Maharashtra is moving towards reviving student union elections in universities and colleges after a long suspension, with the state government expected to finalise revised election rules and procedures by January 2027.
The proposed revival comes after decades without regular campus elections, which were discontinued amid concerns over political interference, violence and law and order problems.
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Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil has asked a 12 member committee headed by former University of Mumbai vice-chancellor Suhas Pednekar to expedite its recommendations, Hindustan Times reported.
Patil reportedly asked the committee on Wednesday to submit its final report soon. Officials told the newspaper that the committee had held three meetings and was likely to submit its report after another meeting.
The proposal seeks to restore a system through which students can elect representatives to raise campus-related concerns and participate in student governance. Students in Maharashtra last participated in campus elections in 1993. The state is now undertaking a fresh exercise to revive the process while addressing the problems that previously led to its suspension.
The main focus is to ensure that political influence does not affect student elections on campuses. The principal concerns the new framework is expected to address are political interference, campus violence, transparency, financial accountability and inclusive representation.
The objective is to create a system that enables student participation without allowing campus elections to become a source of violence, excessive spending or outside political control.
The state government is also examining whether changes to the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016, are needed to implement the revised election framework. A Higher and Technical Education Department official told the Hindustan Times that the committee's recommendations may require amendments to the law, which could be taken up during the state legislature's winter session.
The committee will first have to submit its report, after which the government will review its recommendations and decide whether amendments are necessary.
If implemented, the proposed framework could bring back student union elections across Maharashtra's universities and colleges after a gap of 33 years.
Clarify what the revised framework changesTighten the repeated amendment references
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