BHUBANESWAR: Eight years after campus polls were last held, Odisha’s college and university students will vote for their representatives on October 15, the state government announced on Monday.
The government released the detailed schedule for elections to student unions and other student societies and associations in state public universities, government colleges and non-government aided degree colleges for the 2026-27 academic session.
The Higher Education department (DHE) said the official election notification will be issued by the colleges and universities on October 7, while nomination filing, scrutiny and publication of valid nominations will take place on October 9. Candidates can withdraw their nominations on October 10, with the final candidate list to be published the same day. The ‘Why I Stand For’ meeting will be held on October 14.
Polling will be held on October 15 from 8 am to 2 pm, followed by counting and declaration of results from 2 pm onwards on the same day. The oath-taking ceremony will be held at 11 am on October 16, which will also be observed as a reserved day.
The government has also capped expenditure by each candidate on canvassing for polls at Rs 5,000.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said the elections were not a mere formality but a vital platform for young people to participate, represent and develop leadership. “The previous government kept the polls suspended offering one excuse after another. As a result, an entire generation of students lost the chance to participate in the democratic process,” he said.
“We had promised the students of Odisha that this democratic right would be restored and today, we have fulfilled that promise. A confident youth and a vibrant campus democracy are essential to building a prosperous and developed Odisha,” Majhi said, urging students to take part in the election with enthusiasm.
Higher Education minister Suryabanshi Suraj said the move will provide students an opportunity to develop leadership skills. “Student union elections were last held in the state in 2017. We had promised in our manifesto that we will revive it and initiate steps for conduct of student union elections in the higher education institutions,” Suraj said.
He added that after forming government in June 2024, the government took time to address issues and problems pertaining to campuses before deciding to hold the elections from this year.
The DHE has mandated regular full-time student with 75 per cent attendance and no academic arrears as a criteria to be eligible to become candidates.
Students enrolled through distance education or PPP mode and those enrolled in self-financing courses will not be eligible to participate. Students with criminal records or pending disciplinary proceedings are also barred from contesting the campus elections.
Higher Education officials said candidates will have only one opportunity to contest for an office-bearer post and two opportunities for an executive-member post. Campaigning will be tightly regulated, with printed posters and pamphlets prohibited. Only handmade posters will be allowed at designated campus locations. Use of loudspeakers, vehicles and animals for campaigning will also be prohibited.
Political party involvement has been completely barred and candidates cannot seek votes on caste or communal lines. They have also been warned against use of AI generated fake content.
Student union elections were last held in Odisha in 2017. The previous BJD government stopped the polls in 2018, citing issues including Cyclone Titli, campus-related disturbances and subsequently the Covid-19 pandemic.
After coming to power in 2024, the BJP government had announced that student union elections would be revived.
