The state government had proscribed college polls after the brutal murder of National Student Unit of India (NSUI) activist Owen D'Souza during polls in the Mithibai College in 1992.
Almost 25 years after it banned college elections in Mumbai, the Maharashtra government will now allow students to elect their own representatives to students' councils in university departments.
The state government had proscribed college polls after the brutal murder of National Student Unit of India (NSUI) activist Owen D'Souza during polls in the Mithibai College in 1992.
However, the Maharashtra Public Universities Bill, 2016, which was approved unanimously in the state legislative assembly during the winter session at Nagpur, allows an electoral college comprising of students to elect their representatives to councils in universities and colleges or institutions.
The Bill, which was tabled by Education Minister Vinod Tawade, allows for annual elections of representatives to university students councils, university department students council (for university departments) and college student councils from an electoral college comprising of students.
These representatives will "look after the welfare of the students" and "promote and co-ordinate the extra-curricular activities in different student's associations or better corporate life. The councils shall not engage in political activities."
The Supreme Court, in 2006, had accepted the recommendations of J M Lyngdoh committee which had called for separate election commission for elections to student unions.
The Bill also seeks to introduce wide-ranging reforms in the higher education sector. Earlier, students had to skip their examinations if they clashed with inter-university, national, international sports and cultural events in which they were participating. The same applied to National Student Service and National Cadet Corps volunteers. However, varsities will now conduct separate exams for them. An equal opportunities cell will be established for the divyang (handicapped) students. Vishakha cells will be set up at the university level to handle cases of sexual harassment. The bill also provides for a choice based credit system (CBCC) to allow students to pick and study subjects of their choice. It will also allow students to shift from one university to another.
In 2010-11, the state government had appointed three committees under Anil Kakodkar, Arun Nigvekar and Ram Takwale to make recommendations to improve the quality of higher education. A committee was set up under former IAS officer, late Kumud Bansal to study the report of the Nigvekar committee. Later, a joint committee under Tawade consisting of legislators from both houses was also established.
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