JOIN USThe selected candidates list for the Jawaharlal Nehru (JNU) student union elections was declared on Wednesday. The various student union parties came up with their agendas which will be voiced during the election campaign which starts from Thursday.
All parties stressed the need to increase the amount of scholarships and provide hostel facilities which are missing at present.
“Since 2006 there has been no increase in the amount of scholarships. Many students also face difficulties as they have not been alloted hostels ,” said Zico Dasgupta, of Left wing Students' Federation of India (SFI), who is contesting for the post of president and vice-president.
Dasgupta added the functioning of the anti-sexual harassment committee has also gone down. SFI and All India Students' Federation (AISF) will fight the polls as a combined party.
Another left party which won last central panel elections, All India Students' Association (AISA) said discrepancies in viva-voce marks on the basis of caste and language has become very prominent in the campus.
“There is a need to make the academic system more student friendly,” said Sucheta De from AISA, selected candidate for the post of president.
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) said the health centre in the campus is not up to the mark.
“The students have to go out of the campus to see doctors which costs a lot. Transparency in direct admission to PhD courses is another important agenda,” said Mamta Tripathi, ABVP candidate for the post of president and VP.
Members of National Students' Union of India (NSUI) wanted a better academic structure for the reserved category and minority students.
“The health centre should be functional 24/7, placement cell needs to function efficiently. The increasing mess fees, wi-fi internet facility etc are on our agenda,” said Manoranjan Mahapatra from NSUI, running for the post of General Secretary.
Bahujan Students' Front (BSF) and All India Backward Students' Forum(AIBSF) focused on the need for better facilities and academic structure for students belonging to the reserved category.
In the central panel, the election committee has selected 10 candidates of different parties for the post of president, five for vice-president, six for general secretary and joint secretary.
Independent candidates to take on political parties
On being let down by the existing students’ union parties in addressing students-related issues, three independent candidates, will be contesting in the JNU’s elections.
Disappointed with the working of Left parties, Javed Iqbal Wani, postgraduate independent candidate hailing from Kashmir, decided to stand as an independent candidate this time.
Another independent candidate Baljeet Singh said, “The real students’ issues are sidelined because parties play the blame game. I am not here to blame anyone. All organisations here are doing nothing for the students,” Singh said.
According to Prabodhan Arvind, chairperson of the JNUSU Election Committee, this years’ elections will be ‘unique’ with new set of rules and time span.