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NOTA: Third Most Popular Choice of Vote in the DUSU Elections Last Year

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‘None Of The Above’ (NOTA) was introduced in DUSU elections last year. Since then, it has gained popularity as represented by the number of voters opting for it. Here is a look at why this is happening.                                          

Three years and four rounds of national assembly elections ago, the ‘None Of The Above’ (NOTA) option was inducted into the Indian electoral system. It was only in 2016 that the Delhi University Student’s Union (DUSU) election followed this trend. The concept of NOTA is democratic, as it gives the voter an option to reject an electoral candidate. It represents dissent and showcases that the voters are not satisfied with the particular candidates representing a specific manifesto in an election.

However, the question then arises: Is NOTA really influential practically? In our electoral system, NOTA in status quo, has no electoral value. Even if the situation emerges where NOTA gets more votes than any candidate in the elections, the candidate who has secured the highest number of votes after NOTA will still hold office. This expression of rejection through casting your vote guarantees no accountability, since it does not constitute a re-election or change in candidacy. The very fact that NOTA is emblematic is the dreadful reason why it cannot be successful in an illiterate and puerile democracy like ours, where charisma and ascendancy are given more significance than one’s ability to introduce and implement affirmative policies.

The foundation year for NOTA in the University of Delhi (DU) saw more than 16,000 votes being cast in its favour. This year, the number skyrocketed to a total of more than 29,000 votes. Even though NOTA is heavily symbolic, the fact that it is gaining traction within the university means that the students are getting tired of the aggressive and “rowdy” behaviour of the supporters of DUSU candidates. The students have finally been given a platform to express their dissent through the same. Across the university, students have often complained about their classes getting disrupted during campaigning, bribes in terms of free movies, trips and meals being offered to students living in Paying-Guest accommodations and so on. Political parties, allegedly, go as far as to distribute alcohol and chocolates to students one day before the elections. Many female students have come up and voiced their opinion about feeling unsafe in the campus during the time of elections, despite the tag of ‘women empowerment’ being included in every party’s manifesto. Repeated promises, no implementation and the ongoing tiff between the two leading parties (ABVP and NSUI) often create chaos in the university. It has affected the peaceful functioning of the University, and these thoughts of the students are very well resonated with the rise in the popularity of NOTA. Despite its shortcomings, NOTA, in theory, is imperative in terms of facilitating and allowing an expression of dissent; however, it still requires severe changes in its actual implementation.

 

Feature Image Credits: Anagha Rakta for DU Beat

Bhavya Banerjee
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DUB Speak

The Rohingya Crisis, Suu Kyi’s Silence, and India’s Stand

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We take a look at the Rohingyas’ history, the reason for their torture, Aung San Suu Kyi’s silence, India’s stand on the issue.

The Rohingyas are an Indo-Aryan tribe whose existence in the Indian subcontinent (before it disintegrated into Bangladesh and Myanmar) dates back to the 8th century. They have lived in the Rakhine state of Myanmar for most of their lives, and constitute mainly of Muslims and a small section of Hindus.

Most of the Rohingyas lived in the northern area of the Rakhine state, which used to be a sprawling land of hills, beaches, and fertile agriculture before the infamous 1962 Burmese coup d’état. Subsequently, in 1982 and then in the 2000s, the Burmese torture upon the Rohingyas continued. Ever since then, the government and some high-profile lawyers have tried hard to invalidate the Rohingyas’ existence by tampering with evidence.

The Rohingyas have suffered from ethno-nationalist bigotry at the hands of the Burmese military for decades because the military considers them as ‘Muslim intruders’ in the largely Buddhist Myanmar. Their taking the side of the British during World War II added fuel to the fire, as the Rakhine residents were pro-Japanese. Their houses were torched, women raped, and the minority tortured, which is why the United Nations (UN) has called it ‘a slow genocide’.

Aung San Suu Kyi is a revolutionary in Myanmar and the world applauds her for it. When we think of her, we think of complex concepts like resilience, peace, and patience. Her journey from Lady Shri Ram College (LSR) to winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 and to winning the general elections has inspired students, and reformed and reshaped the global political sphere. Her role in establishing democracy in the country has been imperative, but her role after being elected as the State Counsellor (de facto Prime Minister) has been nothing but disappointing.

The treatment of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar is loathsome, and Suu Kyi’s silence on the matter even more so. Silence from a leader with a platform to implement change, in this specific matter, is the worst crime against basic human rights. Along with this is the denial of well-documented evidence and obstruction of humanitarian aid. The UN has time and again called this section of the society as “the world’s most persecuted minority”, and this description has not changed since she took office.

Kiren Rijiju, the Minister for Home Affairs, has declared that the 40,000 Rohingyas distributed across Indian states will be deported. Neither Bangladesh nor India has the resources to harbour this community. The community also poses a threat on the safety frontier. The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) allegedly has connections with Al-Qaeda, and lately, with ISIS too. These connections can spread like wildfire among the refugees in India and elsewhere. On the other hand, a community this vulnerable and oppressed, with hardly any country to turn to, is the responsibility of all better placed nations. In fact, the UN’s intervention has already failed to restore peace and order in the West so far as the rehabilitation of Syrian refugees is concerned. If the global community is not careful, the Rohingyas’ mass displacement could become an even greater crisis, this time plaguing the East. And then, the fault will lie squarely on these nations’ shoulders. The need of the hour is therefore for Myanmar to take its people back with peace and harmony, and for other nations to convince Myanmar regarding the same.

 

Feature Image Credits: The Indian Express

Prachi Mehra
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Bhavya Banerjee
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DUSU Elections 2017

DUSU Elections Highlights for 2017-18

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With the election season finally having come to an end, here is a look at some of the key highlights from the DUSU elections of 2017.

The elections for this year’s Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) came to an end on the 13th of September, with the declaration of results. As this year was as eventful as the election season gets, here are some key highlights from this season’s elections:

  • 21 AUGUST- University of Delhi notifies the dates for the election of the office bearers of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) and members of the Central Council, the most awaited students’ election in the country. The election is to be held on 12 September, 2017, for the 2017-18 academic session.
  • 23 AUGUST- The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) organises an event in the Arts Faculty, North Campus, on 23rd August. It comprises a protest march from the Arts Faculty towards Ramjas College, Kirori Mal College, and back. The protest is for the scarcity of hostels and instillation of sanitary pad facilities for women.
  • 24 AUGUST- The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), organises a press briefing where it proposes a set of electoral reforms for the upcoming elections scheduled on 12th of September.
  • 1 SEPTEMBER- A referendum titled “Should Aryabhatta College be affiliated to Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU)?” is held. The students of Aryabhatta College vote in favour of the motion.
  • 4 SEPTEMBER- The University of Delhi, in a press release confirms this date as the last day for receipt of nomination papers and security and publication of the duly nominated candidates, for both DUSU and the Central Council.
  • 6 SEPTEMBER- The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Indian National Congress (INC), gets a shock when it discovers that its presidential candidate for DUSU elections, Rocky Tuseed, is missing from the final list of candidates released by the Chief Election Office (CEO).
  • 8 SEPTEMBER– Court has allowed Rocky Tuseed to fight elections and he will be representing  with the potential to win the election this year.
  • 12 SEPTEMBER- The polls for the DUSU elections are held for the morning and evening college respectively.
  • 13 SEPTEMBER- The results of the elections are declared. Rocky Tuseed of NSUI wins the post for DUSU President with 16,299 votes. Kunal Sehrawat of NSUI became the Vice President with 16,431 votes. Mahamedha Nagar of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) wins the post for Secretary with 17,156 votes. Uma Shankar of ABVP becomes the Joint Secretary after bagging 16,691 votes.

 

Feature Image Credits: University of Delhi

Sandeep Samal
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Karan Singhania
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DUB Speak

The Aftermath of Elections- Is there Room for Improvement?

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Another edition of Delhi University Students’ Union(DUSU) elections gone by, another year’s campaigning done and dusted. What lies ahead is the vast aftermath of elections and the countless reforms the process is yet to witness.

DUSU elections are continuously undergoing some change. From the implementation of EVMs(Electronic Voter Machines) that replaced ballot boxes to the NOTA(None of The Above) option that was introduced last year, many issues have been rectified by the responsible authorities.

However, a slight cause of worry is the fact that out of the total votes for all four posts, NOTA votes increased by a staggering 60%, from 17,722 last year to 29,770 this year. The use of this option should be lauded, but to prevent NOTA votes from increasing next year too, we can improve and learn from foreign universities’ student body elections and draw parallels that stand relevant in the Indian scenario.

  1. Referendums can be held to solidify the constitution that governs DUSU elections.This procedure, complicated to understand but easier in practice, requires contesting suits to get signatures to put forward a question for a referendum on the ballot. If a threshold of signatories is reached, the referendum is conducted to make elections more student inclusive. If the question gets the support of 2/3rd of the voters with at least 10% voting in favour, the proposed amendment is passed and cannot be repealed by any authority. This gives voters the significant power to exercise their rights and influence legislation governing them. This model is actively followed at Harvard University.
  2. Unlike the case in India, in most University Government Bodies(UGB) in the U.S, candidates are not affiliated with any political party, either the Democrats or Republicans. There are, however, separate clubs and organisations that harbour their ideologies, regardless of which they still have no direct link with the parties. It is unlikely that the same model will ever be followed in the Indian scenario, but it provides an insightful snippet of thought for future elections.
  3. University officials are striving to make elections relevant to the digital age but still follow outdated mediums to do the same. Since Delhi University is an open university with colleges spread far and wide, for a candidate to reach out to the maximum number of students in limited time is an impossibility. Conducting university-wide debates in henceforth not possible, and not every college has the required infrastructure to accommodate all the students of its institution for the same. Candidates in foreign universities come up with websites meant specifically for their election campaigns. Following a similar digital route, candidates for DUSU elections can conduct live sessions, use chat boxes for live question-answer rounds and spread manifesto circulars on open social media platforms.

As much as political parties are despised during the time leading up to elections, many have pitched in reforms that could potentially bring revolutionary changes. The number of EVMs can be increased and mock runs of EVMs can be conducted, as the controversy of tampering always arises after elections are through. Audits could be conducted of the DUSU expenditure and the same published on a public portal to help interested students review the functioning of the outgoing DUSU panel. (Credits: NSUI and ABVP)

A plethora of similar suggestions have been pitched already, but very few implemented to keep up with the time. Most of the time there are administrative delays and faults that hinder path-breaking changes in the student electoral process. A certain degree of autonomy and accountability could go hand-in-hand to help voters and candidates exercise this opportunity and uphold the spirit of democracy.

Image Credits: My Republica

 

Vijeata Balani

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DUB Speak

Youth Unemployment: Increasing India’s Burden?

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India’s population has around twenty-eight per cent people that are in the age group of fifteen to twenty-nine, comprising the labour force which has high rates of unemployment.

It should be noted that even though the economy of India is boosting, reports suggest that around thirty percent of India’s youth are unemployed as per the 2017 Economic Survey of India. According to the report even though the economy of India is boosting, the situation of job opportunities and employment is quite grim as the rate of employment has declined.

There are many factors contributing to its cause. One of the main reasons undoubtedly is the alarming increase in the population. The population of our country has exceeded the 1.2 billion mark and it should be one of our main concerns. The continued increase in our population will only worsen the situation for us. While talking about unemployment amongst the youth, it becomes necessary to discuss the issue of caste system present in our society. The stringent hierarchical order present in our society even today makes it difficult for youths of certain castes to practice the profession of their choice. In many places, they are denied jobs on the basis of the family in which they are born into. The practice of such a rigid caste system leaves a lot of the youth unemployed in our country.

Apart from this, it is necessary to talk about the mentality of the youth of the present India. Most of the youth find the prospect of working in small cities and villages not exciting and challenging enough. The glitter of big jobs in big cities enchants them. The competition in these cities is as it is very tough which makes finding jobs quite difficult. The educated youth prefers to struggle in big cities rather than continue with their ancestral work. There is a dire need to change this mentality and to make everyone realise that there is no work that is not dignified enough.

One of the main concerns is also a lack of proper Industrial and Technical Training. There are only a few institutions which offer a proper technical education in the country. Also, the cost of such an education is quite high rendering it impossible for many families to provide for this kind of education. India is a poor country and efforts should be made to make education accessible to people from across all the class.

Thus, it is important to find solutions to these problems. A system of vocational education should be introduced in our education system which would train people in the required skills and expertise. Apart from that, it is the need of the hour to control the population explosion of our country. Steps should be taken sincerely to educate everyone about combating such a complex problem.

Thus all the problems should be tackled to ensure that the youth of India receives employment as it is the future of our country. Unemployment will lead to a series of other problems like poverty, depression etc which would adversely affect the economic growth of our country.

Image Credits: The Financial Express

 

Anukriti Mishra

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Events

Why NSS Is More Than Just a C.V. Enhancer and Clearance Slip

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 NSS Day is celebrated across India on the 24th of September each year when we look at the functioning of NSS and deliberate why it’s much more than what it had been reduced to.

National Service Scheme was launched in 1969: Mahatma Gandhi’s birth centenary year, on 24th September in 37 universities with the aim to involve undergraduates for campus-community linkage. Till date, NSS has more than 3.2 million student volunteers on its roll spread over 298 universities. The University of Delhi came under the aegis of this program in the year it started as a nationwide campaign, in 1969 and has since received 14,500 volunteer enrolments annually.

Many colleges under DU include NSS as one of the compulsory societies that a student is required to choose from, along with NSO and NCC as other options. Those who opt for NSS have to ensure a minimum number of hours for clearance and certificates, the number depending college wise. Daulat Ram College, Miranda House, Jesus and Mary College are a few such examples. However, many colleges have digressed from this practice and have maintained NSS as a voluntary association.

DU Beat got in touch with two such colleges, Hindu College and Hansraj College to record their views. Sikha Jaiswal, President, NSS Hindu College was of the view that NSS shouldn’t be made compulsory and described examples of their initiatives. According to her, the value of community service can only be installed to a certain degree as only a select few people come forward out of thousands to volunteer for anything that requires extra efforts. She went on to describe that around 700-800 students applied this year, out of which they could select up to 300. This is in stark comparison to those colleges where the NSS roll is above 1500. Similarly, Tanuja, the head of NSS Hansraj College’s Education wing, Padhaku, said, “From my experience of being a part of NSS for 3 years, I have realised that social service can never be forced, it is a driving force induced from within. It requires toil and commitment, and more importantly the ability to empathize with others.”

The motto of NSS is “Not me, but you”, which aims to create a sense of selfless service and appreciation in the youth. If we keep associating NSS with clearance hours, we’re simply diluting its significance and restricting social outreach programs as a brownie point on the CV only. The Ministry of Health and Rural Development (MHRD) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, regularly issue program guidelines to the NSS Centre, albeit most of which are dull and need to be modified to engage the youth. To improve the functioning of NSS at grass-root levels, more funds need to be allotted and incentive programs need be introduced for top performing colleges or universities to give volunteers the appreciation they deserve.

Feature image credits: Wiki Media Commons

 

Vijeata Balani

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News

Instead of May 2018, JNU entrance to happen in December 2017

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In a surprising move, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has decided to shift its entrance examination for all courses including MPhil/ PhD courses for the year 2018-19 to December 2017. Usually, JNU Entrance Examination (JNUEE) happens in May. However this year, the entrance exam will take place on 27 December to 30 December.

For the past two years, JNU was considering shifting its entrance exams for all courses to December from the usual May-June session. The proposal to hold all future entrances in December was put forward at a meeting of the Academic Council (AC) in April 2015, which was thereafter approved in a Standing Committee meeting on June 15, 2015. The reasons given for such a shift were related to logistical issues, where the AC pointed out that JNU doesn’t come as an option at the right time and normally when the JNU admission procedure begins, all other university admissions close. Also n the case of BA admissions, they felt it was better to hold the entrance before the Class XII pre-board exams in January. Although teachers unanimously supported the move in the AC meeting, the four JNU students’ union office bearers opposed it back then.

The move finally comes two years after the AC and Standing Committee approved the proposal. It was put to hold because of reasons accorded to feasibility. The Vice Chancellor said that the university was trying to fill all vacancies available with faculties in MPhil and PhD courses in December. A committee has been formed to find modalities to conduct the exam. The prospectus for 2018-19 has been uploaded on the website, as well as the link for online admissions, opened from 10:00 AM today and will stay open till 13 Oct 2017 at 11.59 p.m.

The University will hold examinations for admission to various programmes of study (MPhil/PhD, MPhil/PhD through JRF, PhD., PhD through JRF, MTech., MPH. , PGDE, MA., MSc., MCA., BA(Hons.) in Foreign languages and Part time courses, MSc (Biotechnology) and allied, MSc (Agri) (Biotechnology)/M.V.Sc., and MTech. Biotechnology programmes )from 27 Dec-30 Dec 2017 in 53 centres across India and in Kathmandu (Nepal).

For full details, applicants can visit the JNU website www.jnu.ac.in  or visit the admissions site.

Image Credits: JNU Website

Oorja Tapan

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Bazinga

Faulty Voting Machines in Few Colleges: Biased Results?

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The entire University of Delhi is heaving a sigh of relief after the DUSU elections 2017. But now, what about the faulty voting machines?

Elections in colleges and universities are valued by every student.  The candidates for the various posts have to argue for the need of more advanced and automated voting systems. However, the design, construction, implementation, effectiveness, and security of electronic voting systems have proved to be problematic. The results of the DUSU polls were released last Wednesday. The outflow of freebies, goodies and movie tickets came to a fruitful end. But insiders have revealed that the voting machines were faulty in a few colleges. So, do we assume that the results were biased? First came the suspicions of vote flipping. And now, the stories and conspiracy theories have begun.

Sources have informed us that there have been reports of voters pressing one candidate’s name, only to have the opponent’s name light up instead. It is unnerving for the students. Have our votes got no value? After all the tohubohu in the university in the former half of the year, now we get to hear of alleged ‘rigging’ of machines. The colleges which got the faulty machines are demanding for another round of elections due to tampering of the ballot boxes. There is a popular demand to scrap the machines. The Chancellor has requested for a probe to look into this matter and the role of the officers involved in the entire process. It said that the machines were tested before the elections and recalibrated each day before voting began.

But the upheaval of students regarding justice in this issue has lead to a settlement: Now the winning party will be decided by a popular support rally, which is to be scheduled by the end of this month in DU’s North Campus. The working mechanism of this rally is described as follows: you have to register yourself under a party as their supporter, and then you must to join their rally walk from the prescribed time. The party with the highest number of supporters wins.

Statistics say more students came out to vote in DU this year as compared to last year.  In 32 of the 41-morning colleges, the voter turnout stood at 44% — a sizeable jump, when the overall voter turnout last year was 36.9%. But in a university like ours, we expect a higher number of voters. And if you could not vote this year, now you have another chance to have a say in the elections of your very own university. Also, increasing support implies another round of incentives to enjoy! Goodies are on their way, let’s join a rally.

**Disclaimer: Bazinga is our weekly column of almost believable fake news. It is a humorous, light hearted column that should only be appreciated and not accepted.

Feature Image Credits: Times of India 

 

Radhika Boruah

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News

Delhi University, JNU, IIT-D and other higher education institutions can no more receive foreign funds

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Union Home Ministry has cancelled the FCRA-2010 (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) licenses of various acclaimed higher education institutions, including Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), University of Delhi, IIT-Delhi, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Punjab University, Gargi College (Delhi), Lady Irwin College (Delhi), Mumbai University, Pune University and others after they reportedly failed to file their annual income and expenditure statements, for the period 2010-11 to 2014-15, to the government. A FCRA licence is mandatory for any organisation which wants to receive funding from abroad.
The list consists of 18,871 names of several top-notch universities, educational institutions and noteworthy non-governmental organisations (NGOs) whose FCRA registrations are cancelled. Prominent associations, trusts and societies are also affected by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) order like Supreme Court Bar Association, Kamala Nehru Education Society, Kasturba Peace Centre, Gandhi Peace Foundation, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, School Of Planning & Architecture-Delhi, FICCI Socio-Economic Development Foundation, Kamala Nehru Memorial Hospital, Escorts Heart Institute, Cancer Educational Society and People for Animals. Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre, Armed Forces Flag Day Fund, Doon School Old Boys Association, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College (Delhi), Dr Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia International Trust, Coordinating Voluntary Adoption Resource Agency, Bombay Diocesan Society, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (Karnataka), Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (Bengaluru), Shri Mahatma Gandhi Charitable Trust (Gujarat) and Sri Satya Sai Trust also feature on the list.
The organisations were asked to submit their replies by July 23, failing which action would be taken against them. The MHA also directed 1,222 NGOs – including Sri Ramakrishna Math, Ramakrishna Mission, Indore Cancer Foundation Charitable Trust and the Coimbatore Christian Charitable Trust – to authorise their bank accounts and provide relevant details to the government. The move comes after the government found that the organisations – all registered under the FCRA – had not validated the bank accounts through which they receive foreign funds. In a circular issued on September 8, the ministry had asked all NGOs to take rectifying steps to avoid punitive action. A similar request was earlier made to 2,025 NGOs on June 7. Ministry officials said non-validation of such accounts had been halting efforts made by banks to comply with FCRA provisions.
The BJP government has already revoked the registration of over 10,000 NGOs in the last three years for allegedly failing to file annual returns as prescribed by the FCRA. Furthermore, violation of regulations was cited to disallow more than 1,300 NGOs from renewing their registration in the recent past. The NGOs, however, allegedly claim that the government has been selectively targeting them. “It is not a level playing field,” Ravi Chellam, the executive director at Greenpeace India, told Hindustan Times. “When political parties need funding from foreign donors, they amend the law retrospectively. That is a problem – the law should be applied fairly to everyone”, he said.
Promila Kumar, the acting principal of Gargi College, told the Indian Express, “We have filed our returns. In fact, we got a reminder about filing returns recently and we informed the government that we have already complied. I’m not sure why this has happened.”

Image Credits: DU Beat Archives

 

Oorja Tapan

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DUB Speak

The Calm After the Storm: A Look at the Aftermath of DUSU Elections

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Now that the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections are finally over and you’ve voted to elect your leaders who claimed to transform your college into one that resembled an institution of the west, it’s time to rest. The ‘rest’ doesn’t refer to you relaxing, but rather to the Union.

Every year, the same sequence of events plays out. It has been running for so long that this silence which suddenly appears everywhere after this hullabullah of elections seems normal. The storyline is obvious; the passion and vigour of the student leaders to work for the welfare of the students is so short-lived that even the graffiti which carries their names and is used to deface the city during the elections lasts longer.

How does so much energy suddenly fade into oblivion at the end of the day?

“The leaders are, after all, students and are lazy just like you and me.” Even if one decides to buy this logic, the argument that follows fails to be convincing on any level. There is no reason for any sort of leader to ignore his or her responsibilities one he or she has come to power on the back of people’s votes. Accountability is key. Another reason might be that this vigour doesn’t actually belong to the students of the University but is, in fact, artificially created by the outsiders who are mostly the caste-based supporters brought into the varsity by these candidates. Hence, this ‘outsourced’ vigour doesn’t survive even a day after it has served its purpose. Out of both of these reasons, the latter portrays the reality.

If one digs deeper in search of the reason behind this inactivity, the story becomes clear. A simple look into the manifestoes floated by parties before the election uncovers the entire picture. This year, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) promised to start U-special buses and increase the number of hostels for students of the varsity. This is an unreasonable promise as out of these, one comes under the onus of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) which is a body of the Delhi government, while the latter entirely rests upon the university administration and governing bodies of the colleges. In both cases, the Union has no real power to do anything except for protesting and writing letters. Similar pictures emerge with the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and other parties. These tall promises by candidates and parties are akin to showing students the dream of reaching the moon when in reality, they don’t even have the technology of building a rocket. This is precisely why the same issues are raised every year, with absolutely no success.

In the condition of having promised the moon, and with no promises of the things that they can actually do within their power, these leaders embark upon the slippery slope of being absent for major parts of the year. They only make their presence known until something controversial pops up, such as the Ramjas College issue which can offer them another chance of greater media visibility.

In a scenario where our leaders are absent for the majority of the year, it’s we, the students, who suffer the most. It’s high time these elections stop referring to things that the Union cannot do, and instead start becoming a fight about what the Union can, and should, do.

 

Srivedant Kar

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