Karnataka: Congress committee seeks public opinion on reviving student elections

Bengaluru, Jan 13 (PTI) A Congress-appointed committee in Karnataka to examine the revival of student elections in colleges and universities has decided to seek public opinion to gauge sentiment on the matter.

The inaugural meeting of the committee, constituted by Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President D K Shivakumar, was held on Tuesday.

The meeting was chaired by Sharan Prakash Patil, Minister for Medical Education and Skill Development.

Patil, who serves as the convenor of the nine-member panel, said the committee includes Higher Education Minister Sudhakar, MLAs, MLCs, and the state presidents of the Youth Congress and the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI).

“Members held a preliminary yet comprehensive discussion on the committee’s terms of reference. They exchanged views on the relevance, necessity, and potential framework for conducting student elections in universities and colleges across the state, addressing diverse perspectives and concerns,” Patil’s office said in a statement.

The committee unanimously agreed that it cannot decide unilaterally whether student elections should be held, given the significant democratic, academic, and social implications.

“Instead, it emphasised the need for a broader public consensus through consultations with key stakeholders,” the statement added, noting that students, parents, educators, and other stakeholders are invited to share their views and suggestions throughout the committee’s tenure.

As a first step, the committee will seek opinions from the general public to gauge sentiment on student elections in Karnataka’s universities and colleges. To make the process inclusive, a dedicated email address has been set up for submissions.

The next meeting is scheduled for January 22, when the committee will review the received opinions and deliberate on further actions.

Student elections were banned in Karnataka in 1989 by the then Congress government led by Chief Minister Veerendra Patil, reportedly in response to a series of violent incidents on college campuses and the increasing influence of political parties in campus life. PTI KSU SSK