Cleaning up college politics

A year after Prof Harbhajan Sabharwal was beaten to death, the polls in Ujjain8217;s Madhav College have been put off indefinitely.

8226; What8217;s wrong with campus elections?

Political parties play an active role in most students8217; union elections, in some places it is done in a covert manner, while in other places, like the JNU, they are quite open about it. This has often led to violence.

8226; Why are political parties interested in students8217; union elections?

The fact that Indians can vote at 18 is a big factor. Most students in colleges are of voting age and political parties want to catch them young. The students8217; union outfits are mostly supported or backed by mainstream political parties.

8226; Do student politicians make it big later?

Several of today8217;s top politicians started their career in students8217; politics. Some of the prominent names are Sitaram Yechury and Prakash Karat from the CPIM, Arun Jaitley and Vijay Goel of the BJP and A K Antony and Ajay Maken of the Congress. College elections are, therefore, considered to be breeding grounds for future politicians.

8226; So what does the Lyngdoh Committee say about student politicians?

It has fixed an age limit for candidates, depending on the course of study. It is 17 to 22 years in the case of undergrads, 24-25 years for postgraduates and 28 years for research scholars. It can vary depending on students enrolled in professional courses. The person should have 75 pc attendance and must be a full-time student with no academic arrears. He or she should not have any criminal record. What about electioneering?

The upper spending limit for a candidate has been fixed at Rs 5,000. No personal attack, communal inciting, or asking for votes on caste lines is allowed. No printed posters, only handmade ones allowed. No public meetings or processions outside the campus. Even meetings and processions should not disturb the classes or extra-curricular activities. No loudspeakers, vehicles or animals will be allowed.

8226; What is the status of these guidelines?

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Supreme Court accepted these guidelines and asked the HRD Ministry to implement it. The University Grants Commission has been asked to ensure its implementation, by giving it wide publicity.

8226; Is there a time-frame for its implementation?

Yes and no. Every university or institution is expected to implement a structured system of student polls over a period of five years. However, every institution, being autonomous, is doing so at its own pace and manner. So, no time limit can be prescribed for each university separately.