College campuses often mirror the political undercurrents that are shaping the wider world. The challenges playing out in society at large are being seen within educational institutions as well.
Published Sep 05, 2025 | 4:35 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 05, 2025 | 4:35 PM
File photo of a student protest in Karnataka.
Synopsis: Recently, the Karnataka government announced that it was planning to reintroduce students’ union elections in colleges across the state. It also comes at a time when students are grappling with a restrictive campus environment.
The colleges in Karnataka used to light up with the vibrant energy of students on the day of the union polls. Students would be waving different flags, chanting slogans and making the rounds of classrooms to make their case.
Campus safety, scholarships, and rising prices in the canteen were some of the issues that dominated student politics in the 1970s.
However, that soon changed after the Veerendra Patil-led Congress government imposed a ban on student union elections in 1989 following incidents of violence.
Today, campuses look starkly different. Any form of dissent is often discouraged by college administrations. Students who raise their voices against issues plaguing the college or the larger society in general face varying levels of disciplinary action, ranging from warnings to even suspension.
However, the state government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said in July this year that it was planning to reintroduce students’ union elections, heeding the advice of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.
Responding to a reporter in Mysuru on 14 July on whether the government woul allow campus politics, Siddaramaiah said, “Why not? We are definitely thinking about it.”
NSUI leaders told South First that they had submitted a proposal to the party high command urging them to re-introduce polls in colleges. The government is now considering the proposal, and is yet to formulate rules on when and how these elections can happen.
Speaking to the media on 15 July, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar confirmed, “Rahul Gandhi has instructed us to develop leadership among students. Therefore, we are discussing holding elections to student unions in colleges and universities.”
Karnataka MLC and former AICC general secretary BK Hariprasad also told South First that they have been given assurances by the party high command that the demand would be accommodated.
The announcement sparked interest among college students, some of whom are already part of independent student-led associations such as All India Students’ Association (AISA), Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and their activities outside the campus. It also comes at a time when students are grappling with a restrictive campus environment.
“Campuses have become so isolating that it feels as if there is nowhere to turn when we are struggling. The college administration keeps insisting they are here to support us, but that rarely feels genuine. What they really want are students who simply agree with everything they say,” a student from Mount Carmel College (MCC) in Bengaluru told South First on condition of anonymity.
College campuses often mirror the political undercurrents that are shaping the wider world. From rising tuition fees to gender discrimination and a growing complacency toward abuses of power, the challenges playing out in society at large are being seen within educational institutions as well.
The most recent example was in MCC. Undergraduate and postgraduate students alleged that the administration has been harassing them under the guise of discipline. From implementing a harsh dress code to restrictions on student movement within the campus, Collective Bangalore (a student unit) in August detailed how the college has allegedly been introducing regressive policies in several social media posts.
“Female students have been disproportionately targeted by the security guards, who force them to lift their arms over their heads to check if their tops are of ‘appropriate’ length,” one such post by the student group said.
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Formerly a women’s college, MCC, opened its gates to male students in 2024. Students, however, argue that this decision was made without consulting them.
“I personally did a signature campaign against the decision. We had 2,000 signatures opposing the move. But the management told us that we aren’t stakeholders, hence we don’t get to decide,” a student told South First.
Students further alleged that the administration has not only failed to prioritise safety and access to education for women students, but has also curtailed their limited freedom within the campus.
Students are allegedly only allowed to exit campus if they have no more classes for the day and have to show their timetable as proof. The restrictions on dress code have only made the campus more hostile. Students returning from the off-campus sports field are no longer permitted to enter in their sports attire, leaving them with no option but to change clothing in nearby hotels and restaurants.
“Without an elected and independent student union, students are left with no body or platform to address their grievances or raise their concerns,” the post by Collective Bangalore continued.
According to rules laid down by the University Grants Commission (UGC), an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) must be established in all higher educational institutions to address sexual harassment cases against women.
The body also laid down specific guidelines on committee composition — a minimum of six members, including women and student representation, along with an external member, among other rules on inquiry timelines and penalties for non-compliance.
However, MCC students alleged that the ICC has no student representatives or external social worker members. “In fact, the college’s failure to conduct gender sensitisation programmes and provide information on notice boards has left a majority of students unaware of the ICC’s existence,” Collective Bangalore said.
Similar concerns have been echoed by students from other colleges, including St Joseph’s University (SJU). The college recently came under the radar for sending two of its students to Israel as part of a cultural exchange programme at a time when international condemnation is growing against Israel’s war in Palestine’s Gaza.
Referring to this move, along with another event that SJU was going to host with the Israel Consulate last year, a student said, “Participating in such a programme when Israel is actively targeting and killing Palestinian journalists and deliberately starving Palestinian civilians, is choosing to endorse the war crimes committed by Israel.”
Although SJU has an existing autonomous student union, students from the college allege that the body doesn’t criticise the administration when needed. “I have not observed any significant opposition to any of these issues from the existing student council,” the student also said.
Along with this, students complained about the exorbitant fee being charged for graduation (₹6,500 to attend the convocation ceremony and ₹3,000 to receive the degree certificate without attending the convocation). When students approached the faculty seeking an explanation, they were met with a vague response that other colleges were charging an even more expensive amount, which effectively did not address students’ queries and concerns.
Students claim that having an elected student body and regular democratic election campaigns would help them voice these concerns. “Most of the teachers also don’t really care. We feel very helpless; it feels like we are under some oppressive regime,” a student from MCC told South First.
The impact of student unions on Karnataka’s political landscape is widely known. Many prominent political figures in the state began their political journeys as student leaders during the 1970s and 1980s, including Shivakumar.
“Participation in student unions laid the foundation for the careers of many well-known politicians today,” Keerthi Ganesh, state president of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of Congress, told South First. “We acknowledge that past elections have sometimes witnessed violence, but that alone cannot justify a blanket ban on campus polls,” he said.
While a few colleges have continued to hold elections for student bodies even after the ban, campuses have tried to largely remain apolitical. In fact, student leaders from unions including NSUI, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and SFI have long been demanding the return of official student elections.
While banning elections in 1989-90, the Karnataka High Court held these unions responsible for caste-based violence on campuses. Responding to this, Ganesh said that incidents of violence are also reported during Assembly and Lok Sabha elections that are held across the country.
“We need to formulate rules to ensure that the elections are held smoothly. Other South Indian states, including Telangana and Kerala, hold student union polls in colleges. Karnataka should follow suit,” he said.
SFI, NSUI and ABVP plan to spread awareness and encourage students within campuses to join unions when polls are announced. Union members told South First that many students have already expressed interest in joining them, while some remain hesitant due to fears about administration pushback.
Ganesh recalled complaints by students who questioned the college administration and were then met with retaliation. “They suddenly see their exam marks reduced or face suspension. Such consequences can significantly impact their lives,” he said.
The NSUI leader referred to a case where a student from Dayananda Sagar University in Kanakapura allegedly died by suicide in February.
The 19-year-old student was reportedly barred from attending college after being found in possession of a mobile phone during an internal exam. Her parents alleged that she was subjected to harassment from the university administration, including the principal. The police eventually registered a case of abetment of suicide against members of the university’s management based on a complaint lodged by the student’s father.
“Vice-chancellors, principals and university administration are being given the full responsibility to make decisions against students. If there is a union, members and the administration can come to a mutual understanding, one that doesn’t ruin a student’s future,” Ganesh said.
Students’ fears of pushback from administration are not unfounded. They stem from punitive actions taken against them in the past.
“Students will be interested in participating in student polls as a platform to voice their concerns and demand transparency from the administration. However, I am not optimistic about whether the administration will be fully supportive of student unions affiliated with political parties,” a student from SJU told South First.
In 2022, Bangalore University (BU) staff and students staged a protest against the construction of a Ganesha temple on the Jnana Bharathi campus, alleging that the BJP government was trying to saffronise the university campus. College officials responded by filing a police complaint against the protesting students.
Another student from MCC recalled how they put up a stall during cultural week in college, and announced that all proceeds from the sale would go to Palestine. “They (college administration) tried to shut our stall down. Later, we were warned for being unnecessarily sensitive. They told us to do something for Karnataka instead,” the student said.
Some students, however, pointed out that academics and student politics should be kept separate. They believe reintroduction of student union polls will “disturb” their education. “We don’t need student union elections. They will hamper the atmosphere of our academics. Protests in the form of mass boycotts of classes will have a negative impact on us,” a student from a government college told South First.
Union members argue that attacks on student activism in the last decade have left students politically unaware and uninterested in demanding their rights.
“Students are at the forefront of any society; they are the generation that will shape its future. Now that the government has made the announcement, we will continue to push for these elections to be held without delay,” said Shivappa N, state president of SFI.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
