Ravenshaw University adopts new model for students' election

The Ravenshaw University authorities have decided to set up Students' Council this year instead of a Students' Union to stop violence inside the campus and loss of teaching hours due to students' election related incidents.
Students' wings of various political parties, however, opposed the decision.
In the new model, direct elections would be would be 'decentralised' to form the Students' Council that would assist the university to carry out its academic programmes, Vice-chancellor Prakash Chandra Sarangi told reporters.
Separate direct elections would be held among the students of the university's nine schools to elect their respective class representatives.
These class representatives will automatically become members of the Students' Council and they will elect from themselves a convener and a deputy convener of the Council.

These representatives will also elect from themselves office bearers to manage various societies like athletics, dramatic, Day-scholar Association and Social Service Guild.

The alternate model of election was proposed by the university's Executive Council and it has been endorsed, the vice-chancellor said.
Students' organisations, however, alleged that the authorities are trying to hijack the democratic rights of the students.
The AIDSO even threatened to move court against the model.