Bhubaneswar, Aug 29: Protests have intensified in Odisha to hold students' union election. Student union elections were last held in 2017.
Various student organisations have started protest in different ways demanding elections to colleges and universities in the state.
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) held a protest here at Master Canteen Square on August 22.
Over hundreds of members of the All Odisha Students' Voice on Monday gheroaed the residence of higher education minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak.
All major student wings of political parties are readying to stage protests demanding the holding of elections in colleges and universities.
The state government canceled elections in 2018 due to cyclone Titli, in 2019 due to campus violence, and since 2020 due to the Covid pandemic.
Instead of elections, educational institutions are now being run by committees formed by students.
NSUI president Yashir Nawaz said corruption in colleges and universities is very high as student union elections are not being held in the state for the last five years.
We are going to stage protests at the district level from next month demanding elections. The state government can't stop students from exercising their democratic rights. We will file a petition in Orissa High Court in this regard.
Similarly, ABVP state secretary Arijit Patnaik said, "We are preparing for students' union elections this year. There is no one to hear the grievances of students and irregularities are rampant in educational institutions. We will intensify protest in coming days demanding holding of elections".
