Odisha’s Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj has said no final decision has yet been taken on resuming student union elections across the state’s colleges and universities.
Speaking to reporters, the minister noted that the issue remains unsettled even at the government level, while confirming that the Higher Education Department has consistently supported holding the polls.
Student union elections, locally known as chhatra sansad nirbachan, were last held in 2017. The 2018 cycle was cancelled after Cyclone Titli and reports of campus disturbances; subsequent years saw the suspension continue amid concerns over violence and later the COVID-19 pandemic. In the years since, institutions have relied on nominated student representatives rather than elected bodies.
After the BJP-led government took office in 2024, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi indicated that campus elections would return. Higher Education Minister Suraj has repeated in recent months that the department is prepared and has sought internal recommendations. However, no notification, schedule, or formal timeline has been issued. With the Durga Puja break approaching, students and affiliated organisations have again pressed for clarity, arguing that the absence of elected unions leaves campuses without formal student leadership for another academic year.
