Absence of student unions — especially those institutions that have not elected student unions for the last four years in Odisha's higher education institutes, is reflecting the academic grades of the institute.
The lack of elected student councils is what the peer teams of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) under the University Grants Commission (UGC) have been pointing out in all their assessment reports of the state's public universities, the latest being the Utkal University.
In its report on weaknesses of the premier university, the six-member NAAC team stated that the student's participation in statutory bodies of the Utkal University is lacking as it does not have an elected students' council/union primarily because of the ban imposed on it by the local government.
As an ad hoc arrangement, the university has two nominated representatives for each batch who lend a supportive hand to the extra-curricular activities of the departments around the year. They are acting as the bridge between the students and the university administration.
Suggestion by NAAC
In its report, the NAAC team suggested ensuring students' participation in statutory bodies for quality enhancement of the institution. Utkal University lost its A+ grade and came down to A in the third assessment cycle recently.
In fact, one of the seven criteria that NAAC checks during an assessment is 'student participation and activities' under which it looks for presence of an active student council and representation of students in academic and administrative bodies/committees of the institution.
Sources said as uncertainty looms over the election this year too, the youth wings of opposition political parties are readying for agitations in colleges and universities.
What are students groups of opposition parties saying
While members of the Biju Chhatra Janata Dal said that non-holding of the elections is a blessing in disguise as far as maintaining peace on campuses is concerned, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) — the youth wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — and Congress' National Students' Union of India (NSUI) see the government's vested interest in it.
ABVP Head Arajeet Pattnayak said they will begin a membership drive in higher education institutions next month which will be followed up by a signature campaign on the need for organising students union elections.
"We will also provide a memorandum to the state government on the issue and if it does not announce the elections by August, massive agitations will be held and visits of any minister or government officials to campuses will be protested," he added.
Similarly, president of the state NSUI Yasir Nawaz said they have also planned a series of agitations to build pressure on the government.
Higher Education Minister Rohit Pujari said no decision on the students' union elections has been taken yet.
