On a weekday afternoon at a government college in central Karnataka, the student notice board is filled with circulars on examinations, scholarships and cultural programmes. What is missing, however, are the printed campaign posters and hand-written appeals to vote or calls for debate that once defined campus life in the state. It has now been almost four decades since the college corridors in Karnataka have gone silent, and stopped resonating with the passionate chants of protests or rallies on various issues from the student community. Student union elections are banned in Karnataka’s colleges and universities, which some would argue has left the campuses politically weaker than in previous decades.Restrictions and ‘talent crisis’That long silence is now about to end – after almost 37 years, the Congress government in Karnataka has announced its plans to restart student union elections in the state’s colleges and universities, reopening the chapter that was abruptly closed in 1989. Faced with concerns over violence, politicization and academic disruption, it was the Congress government led by Chief Minister Virendra Patil that ended campus politics. When CM Patil announced the ban, it was a temporary measure, but it continued. Soon, nominated or advisory student councils replaced ‘politically’ elected unions. Although students can still raise issues related to fees, hostels and examination delays, formal representation has weakened over time.But the ban and its aftermath have kept alive the debate on democracy, discipline and the role of educational institutions in shaping future political leadership. He has also focused on the political calculations surrounding the state’s once vibrant student movements, their decline and possible resurgence.The current Congress government’s announcement of reviving campus politics, which came as a surprise to many, was made at the behest of Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha. Deputy CM DK Shivakumar says, “We need to find young political talent. This is possible through campus elections.An EVM for campus electionsFor many in Karnataka, the government’s efforts to revive campus politics have revived memories of a time when campuses were vibrant spaces of democratic practice. In 1982, students of MES College in Bengaluru stood in queue to vote in a student union election, which later became incorporated into the state’s electoral process – electronic voting machines, then a novelty, were tested in the college elections on a pilot basis. A year later, EVMs were introduced in assembly elections.At that time, universities were more than just a place for lectures and examinations. Institutions such as the University of Mysore, Karnataka University at Dharwad and Bangalore University were known for intense debates on land reforms, linguistic identity, social justice and reservation policies. The students’ union functioned as a representative body elected through regular elections, negotiating with the administration on hostels, scholarships, transport facilities and examination reforms.“Campus elections were our first lesson in democracy,” says Salim Ahmed, a former student leader who later entered mainstream politics as MLC and government chief whip in the Legislative Council. “We learned how to campaign without money, how to talk to people and how to accept defeat.”1970s and 1980sStudent politics in Karnataka during the 1960s and 1970s often reflected broader social movements. While political parties maintained informal ties with student groups, independent groups focused on academic and welfare issues were also seen on campuses. For students from marginalized communities, unions provided an institutional platform to express concerns that might otherwise go unheard.However, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the nature of campus politics began to change. Student organizations affiliated with mainstream political parties grew stronger and elections increasingly reflected state-level rivalries. Allegations of money power, outside interference and involvement of non-students became common. Ideological and caste-based divisions intensified, sometimes turning into violence.rising through the ranksFor some of the biggest names in contemporary politics, the campuses were launchpads. Long before DK Shivakumar became Deputy CM and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President, his political education began not in party offices or election war rooms, but in college corridors. At Sri Jagadguru Renukacharya College in the early 1980s, Shivakumar emerged as a visible student leader affiliated with the National Students Union of India (NSUI), at a time when campuses were active arenas of debate, mobilization and electoral competition. He has repeatedly said that that experience gave him his first lessons in leadership, organization, and public engagement.A few kilometers away, and a decade earlier, BK Hariprasad, now a former AICC general secretary and MLC, began his political journey as a student activist at MES College, Bengaluru in 1972. Rising through the ranks of student and youth organisations, Hariprasad served as vice-president of the All India Youth Congress, AICC general president and a four-time Rajya Sabha member. His work among the backward classes and grassroots networks earned him recognition from senior Congress leaders including Indira Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi.Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, an eight-time MLA, also emerged from student activism as secretary of the student union at the Government Science College, Bengaluru. He was also a member of the student council at Bangalore University. In 1977, he became president of the students’ union at the university.His trajectory – from student politics to the highest levels of party and government – is now at the center of a renewed policy debate in Karnataka. Shivakumar says, “I myself have come through campus politics. Being a student leader helped me in my political career.” “Student elections are necessary to hone young political talent.”Feasibility and other questionsTo examine the modalities, feasibility and implications of resuming campus elections, the government has constituted a high-level 11-member committee. Medical Education Minister Sharanprakash Patil has been appointed convenor. The panel includes Higher Education Minister Dr MC Sudhakar, MLAs Rizwan Arshad and B Shivanna, MLCs Salim Ahmed, Basanagouda Badarli and Puttanna, Karnataka Youth Congress president HS Manjunath and NSUI president Kirti Ganesh.The committee has been asked to submit its report within 15 days, Shivakumar said in a letter dated December 27. The question before it is whether student elections should be held under a political party banner or in a non-political format, and whether reservation should be extended to women, OBC, SC/ST and disabled students.Retired academic Bandu Upadhya, who served as college principal during some of the tumultuous years of campus politics, vividly remembers the atmosphere at that time. “Candidates were openly sponsored by political parties. There were sharp divisions among the students, frequent arguments and sometimes clashes. Anti-social elements also entered the campuses,” he says.Academic calendars were often disrupted, police presence during campus elections became routine, and administrators struggled to maintain order. In 1989, under the Congress government led by then CM Virendra Patil, student union elections were banned across Karnataka.Debate in favor and against the banWhat was initially described as a temporary measure became a strong policy. Elected student bodies were abolished and replaced by nominated or advisory councils. Over time, students’ participation in institutional governance became largely symbolic. Generations of students passed through colleges without voting for a class representative, let alone a union president.Supporters of the ban argue that it has brought stability. “After the ban, there were less disruptions and academic programs became predictable,” says a former university administrator.Critics say there was a price to be paid for the silence. Ravindra Reshme, political commentator and former president of the Federation of Karnataka University and College Teachers Association, says, “Banning student elections reflects the lack of confidence in our youth.” “This deprives students of practical democratic training.”Despite the ban, political engagement did not end on campuses. Students continued to organize protests over issues such as fee hike, delay in examinations, hostel facilities and reservation policies. Political parties maintain informal networks among students, especially during state and national elections. But these activities lacked the structure, accountability and continuity of elected unions.In some private and autonomous institutions, limited forms of student councils were allowed, largely confined to cultural activities and kept formally non-political.Student organizations are divided on this issue. “Campus elections are many students’ first exposure to democracy,” says Adarsh M, an NSUI functionary at Bengaluru University. “Elections help identify leaders early and train them in accountability, debate and organisation.”AISF activist Srinath Rao says elected unions have provided a legitimate platform to students from marginalized backgrounds. “Without elections, representation becomes symbolic and nominations dominate,” he said.Campus Front member Mohammad Sajid argues that student elections are about participation beyond party politics. He says, “Even non-party students benefit when the administration is forced to listen to elected representatives.”ABVP expresses some objections. “The campuses exist primarily for academics,” explains Mahendra K, an ABVP functionary. “We have already seen that in the past, elections have often led to disruption, violence and outside interference. Reviving them without strict security measures will harm the academic interests of students.”SFI leader Bharat Krishna expressed concern about political influence. Calling for strict enforcement of expenditure limits and preventing outside interference, he warned, “There is a danger that campus elections will become an extension of ruling party politics.”Political observers say that the Congress government’s move is also inspired by organizational considerations. “Unlike the BJP, which has the RSS as its pipeline, the Congress lacks the institutional channels to build a grassroots leadership,” says political strategist Vishwas Shetty. “Campus elections offer one such avenue.”Political analyst MN Patil points to a brighter side of campus politics. “Student leaders learn to organize, strategize, and question authority. In their absence, democracy becomes transactional,” he says.Opposition parties have reacted cautiously. BJP leaders have warned against politicizing educational institutions. Senior BJP MLA and deputy opposition leader in the assembly Arvind Bellad said, “Colleges should focus on academics.” “If elections resume, there must be strict security measures.” Meanwhile, the JD(S) has adopted a more nuanced approach. When contacted, a party functionary said, “Student movements have shaped leaders in all parties, but campuses should not become battlegrounds.”
