To create awareness about student council elections and understand the views of students from various colleges, a programme was organised by Students Helping Hand at the Sant Dnyaneshwar auditorium of Marathwada Mitra Mandal’s College of Commerce (MMCC) on Thursday.
Experts present for the programme believe that these elections should be utilised to raise issues which bother students, but one should not be influenced by political ideologies. Twenty-five years after the last election held on college campuses in Pune, students will vote once again this year, as elections return to colleges across Maharashtra.
The state government on Wednesday, however, had announced that the student elections would be deferred due to the upcoming state assembly elections. However, student organisations across the city have already started their preparations and organised programmes for students.
Professor Sushila Morale, Samajwadi Party leader; professor Prabhakar Desai, former director of Savitribai Phule Pune University’s (SPPU), student welfare board; professor Sachin Dhawale, director of Maths and Rising Academy, Pune and Kuldeep Ambekar, president of Students Helping Hand, were present for the interaction session with students.
Professor Sushila Morale said, “I have experienced student elections during my college period and one should remember that these elections are not only for politics, but also for resolving issues of students. Since the past 25 years, when it was not held, we lost the opportunity to hone leadership coming from the common public. Also, it is necessary that girls should come forward and participate in these student elections.”
{{/usCountry}}Professor Sushila Morale said, “I have experienced student elections during my college period and one should remember that these elections are not only for politics, but also for resolving issues of students. Since the past 25 years, when it was not held, we lost the opportunity to hone leadership coming from the common public. Also, it is necessary that girls should come forward and participate in these student elections.”
{{/usCountry}}Professor Sachin Dhawale said, “From my experience of student life, many political parties try to influence you, but one should be aware and alert about it. It should not spoil the atmosphere inside the college. We should be fair and never criticise our opponents. Elections should be fought on ideology and issues related to students. College elections are not only for cultural and sports activities, but to raise issues related to corruption and other student problems.”
Professor Prabhakar Desai said, “All the provisions and necessary steps are been taken to keep political parties and their ideology away from these student elections.”
Among the students who had come for the interactive session, Deepak Chatap from ILS Law College Pune, said, “If we want to work for student issues, then we should start from the first semester itself. It is necessary that we all come forward and be a part of these elections.”
Another student Vishal Dole from SP College said, “Every college has an administrative department and then, there is a society formation. But now students will have to come forward and talk about their college administration and demand their rights. There is need for young leadership and the student elections is a great platform. We should struggle for our rights and participate actively in these elections.”
Another student Ruksana Patil Shaikh from SPPU, said, “We want to understand a students’ democracy, there are many problems which students face on campus, daily. So if there is a student representative, then they can take up these issues.”