Bhubaneswar: Altogether 328 colleges and 13 universities across Odisha issued notifications on Wednesday to hold direct student union elections, marking the return of campus polls across the state after an eight-year hiatus.
According to the Higher Education Department, 341 higher education institutions will conduct direct elections to choose student leaders, while 205 others, including 202 colleges and three universities, will instead select representatives through a merit-based process. The three universities opting for selection over direct polling are Odia University, Sri Jagannath Sanskrit University, and Gangadhar Meher University (GMU).
The revival of campus politics comes under strict adherence to eligibility criteria, including mandatory minimum attendance requirements, age limits for undergraduate and postgraduate candidates, and a zero-tolerance policy regarding criminal records or campus violence.
Campaigning will feature traditional elements like the mandatory “Why I Stand For” debate, alongside capped expenditure limits and rules against non-student involvement or deceptive online content.
According to the official schedule, interested candidates can file their nomination papers on October 9 between 10 am and 1 pm. Scrutiny of nominations will take place from 2 pm to 4 om on the same day, with the initial list of valid candidates scheduled for publication at 5 pm. Candidates will have a window to withdraw their nominations on October 10 from 10 am to 1 pm, after which the final list of contesting candidates will be published at 3 pm. Institutional campaign rallies and “Why I Stand For” meetings are slated for October 14. Polling will take place on October 15 from 8 am to 2 pm, with vote counting commencing immediately after the polls close. Results will be declared later that day, and the newly elected student leaders will formally take their oath of office on October 16.
According to the official schedule released by the Higher Education Department, interested candidates across the state will file their nomination papers on October 9 between 10 AM and 1 PM, with scrutiny scheduled for 2 PM to 4 PM and the valid candidate list published at 5 PM the same day. Candidates may withdraw their nominations between 10 AM and 1 PM on October 10, ahead of the final list publication at 3 PM. The traditional “Why I Stand For” campaign meetings will take place on October 14. Polling is scheduled for October 15 from 8 AM to 2 PM, followed immediately by vote counting and result declarations. The newly elected student leaders will officially take their oath of office on October 16.
Higher education institutions have also been instructed that any committee positions left without nominations will either remain vacant for the session or be filled via principal nomination at their discretion.
Meanwhile, security preparations have been significantly ramped up across campuses to prevent electoral unrest. Authorities at Utkal University have announced strict identity card checks, restricted outsider entry, and the installation of over 150 CCTV cameras to monitor campus activities, while barring students in distance or self-financing programme from contesting.
Tensions have already surfaced, including a minor confrontation between BCJD and ABVP student groups over outsider presence at Balangir College, which required police intervention to restore order.
In Bhubaneswar, DCP Saravana Vivek confirmed that police forces have been deployed across 13 colleges, with heightened monitoring of campus access points and digital channels. Police have warned against unauthorised campus entry as well as the online spread of misinformation, abusive content, or AI-generated deepfakes aimed at influencing the polls, assuring that adequate police reserves are prepared to respond to any campus illegalities.