The student union election of Ranchi University (RU) which was supposed to be held this session after a long gap of five years seems doubtful as the sub-committee framed to look this matter has still not been able to prepare a report in consideration with the students preference.
The sub-committee headed by Ranchi College Principal Dr Umesh Chandra Mehta has now planned to organize it after cradle’s deliberative assembly known senate meet scheduled on December 7. Earlier the same was decided to be organized after Durga Puja holidays.
“There is no guarantee of organizing this election. The reason will be submitted before the senate members on Saturday,” said Dr Mehta.
According to university sources, the student union election valid for a year is held in the beginning of a session. ‘There is no chance of conducting it this year,” said an official source.
Citing the reason of this constant delay, RU Pro Vice Chancellor (Pro VC) Dr Raziuddin explained that university authorities are strictly determined to abide by the lyngdoh Committee guidelines, framed by University Grants Commission (UGC). “The norms mention that for a large university like RU having several constituent, autonomous and minority colleges spread in various locations students can directly vote for their representatives at college level. Following this guideline, university representatives are selected from among the college representatives elected by college students. The later is known as indirect mode,” he maintained.
Meanwhile, majority of the student unions like Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), National Student’s Union of India (NSUI) and Jharkhand Chatra Sangh (JCS) want both college and university student union elections in a direct mode.
Autonomous and Minority colleges can withdraw their participation from this electoral process. Despite being aware of this fact, Dr Mehta and his team is delaying the election with the hope that these colleges would show some interest. “Presently, mid-term examinations are going on at our four autonomous colleges including Ranchi Women's College, Ranchi College, St Xavier’s College and Marwari College. It is not possible to hold student union election in this exam period,” he said.
However, skipping this issue, Mehta highlighted on the elections of teaching and non-teaching staffs which were held after decades in October. He said, “Our Vice Chancellor Dr lN Bhagat has atleast organized the elections for teaching and non-teaching employees. He has also conducted two senate meetings after a long time in last December and April this year.
Notably, in 2007 minority colleges like St Xavier's College, Nirmala College, Gossner College and Yogoda Satsanga College had withdrew from participating in this election.