Bhubaneswar, Oct 1: The Odisha government is likely to announce the schedule for student union elections within the next two days, with October 14 or 15 being considered as possible polling dates, sources said.
Senior officials of the Higher Education Department are discussing whether the elections should be held before or after the Dussehra vacation. If approved, polling may be conducted across colleges and universities on a single day, with the election process likely to begin from October 5.
Student union elections have remained suspended in Odisha for nearly nine years. With the Dussehra break approaching and examinations scheduled soon after, college authorities have indicated that there may be limited scope to conduct elections later.
Meanwhile, major student organisations, including ABVP, student BJD and NSUI, have stepped up preparations and begun campus-level activities ahead of the possible elections.
Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj had recently said that the government was positive about restoring student union elections. However, a formal notification is still awaited.
ABVP has urged the government to announce the dates at the earliest, while student Congress and BJD leaders have also called for the restoration of campus elections.
With political activity intensifying across campuses, students and organisations are now awaiting the government's formal announcement.
