In the wake of continued violence and bloodshed in college elections the Bengal Government has decided not only to depoliticise the poll process in educational institutions but also take away financial powers from the students’ unions so to say.
Following in the footsteps of some top institutions like St Xavier’s and lady Brabourne Colleges, which have already done away with political students’ unions, the State Government has drafted a new policy that would govern elections in colleges, State Education Minister Partho Chatterjee said.
Hence forward the students’ unions would be rechristened as students’ councils the strength of will be limited to 10 for bigger colleges and 7 for smaller ones.
The Principal or a teacher nominated by one would function as the president of the students’ council. This apart the councils will have no financial power in as much as there will be no treasurer from the student community.
Aware that funds were the biggest trigger causing violent clashes among the students during elections, the Government had decided to relieve the students of financial responsibilities, Chatterjee said. A teacher would hence forward function as the treasurer, the Minister said.
“It seems that funds had been the biggest issue among the students leading to clashes. So the Government has decided to entrust the teachers with financial powers,” the Minister informed adding the proposal would now be sent to the law Commission which would vet the draft and then send it to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for final approval.
The Government has also decided not to allow the political parties to take part in the elections through their students’ wings, sources said. “Politicisation of campus also leads to violence which the Government does not want to continue,” Chatterjee said.
The Minister also informed that the students with less than 60 percent of attendance would not be allowed to file nominations in the elections. “The students will also be barred from contesting the elections after taking admission in the same year for two consecutive years,” he maintained.
The educational institutions in the State, have over the past few years seen unprecedented violence during college elections, leading to bloodshed, manhandling of the faculty members, and even deaths of students and police.
With the supporters of the Trinamool Congress Chatra Parishad the students wing of the State ruling outfit being involved in the clashes in most of the cases the new reforms in the college election rules is seen by experts as an image-building exercise by the Trinamool Government.