Archive · 5 Oct 2026
Why States Are Bringing Student Union Elections Back
Many colleges and universities in India have not held student elections for years.
Some states are now considering bringing them back.
Karnataka has approved polls, and a court in Madhya Pradesh ordered them.
Maharashtra has asked a committee to design a plan.
Supporters say elected student groups give students a way to raise problems and get help.
They also say elections can teach young people how politics works.
Others worry that elections can lead to violence.
Some student leaders also say state governments may fear student unions becoming powerful or elections reflecting public opinion about the government.
Karnataka has approved student body polls, while Madhya Pradesh’s High Court ordered elections in the state.
Maharashtra has formed a 12-member committee, led by former Mumbai University vice-chancellor Suhas Pednekar, to develop a framework for campus polls.
Student elections have been suspended for years at several universities, often following concerns about political violence.
Supporters say elected unions can channel student grievances, help students navigate campus services, and train future political leaders.
Critics say governments may fear elected student leaders becoming rival power centres or campus elections being seen as a verdict on state performance.
- Who
- State governments, universities, student organisations, and students.
- What
- Several states are taking steps to resume or plan student union elections at universities.
- When
- The article describes current efforts and notes that Madhya Pradesh’s High Court issued an order earlier this year; it gives no publication date.
- Where
- Across India, including Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh.
- Why
- Supporters say elections can provide a structured way to represent student concerns; the article also reports concerns about violence and governments’ reluctance to create independent student power centres.
Arguments for student elections
Concerns about student elections
Campus violence and student grievances
Arguments for student elections
Supporters argue elected unions provide a structured channel for grievances and may help prevent uncontrolled violence; an ABVP leader cited violence at Lovely Professional University as an example of violence occurring even without elections.
Concerns about student elections
Opponents of holding polls have pointed to episodic violence related to student politics; Uttar Pradesh’s ban on elections in state universities since 2018 was attributed to frequent violence.
Political influence and government concerns
Arguments for student elections
Student political workers say elections train future leaders, help students understand political positions, and let organisations assess their support.
Concerns about student elections
An unnamed student leader said chief ministers may fear elected union presidents becoming rival power centres and may see election results as a referendum on state government performance.
- Maharashtra committee
- A 12-member panel led by former Mumbai University Vice-Chancellor Prof Suhas Pednekar has one month to submit a report.
- Karnataka
- The state has given the green signal to student body polls.
- Madhya Pradesh
- The High Court ordered student union elections in the state earlier this year.
- Long-running pauses
- The article says Jamia Millia Islamia has had no student body elections since 2006 and Banaras Hindu University since 1996.
- Other reported pauses
- Allahabad University has had no elections since 2018; Jadavpur University has had none since 2020.
- Regular elections
- The article lists Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University, Assam University, University of Hyderabad, University of Kerala, and Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University among central universities holding regular elections.
- Maharashtra context
- The accompanying article reference describes Maharashtra as reviving student elections after 33 years.