Karnataka Lifts 37-Year Ban on Student Union Elections
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BENGALURU, Sept 10 : The Karnataka Cabinet has cleared the revival of student union elections in colleges and universities after a gap of 37 years, ending a ban imposed in 1989 following incidents of violence and clashes on campuses.
Colleges will be required to hold elections if students favour conducting them. Polls can be cancelled if students themselves oppose holding elections.
The decision follows a proposal announced in the State Budget earlier this year and subsequent deliberations by a Cabinet sub-committee.
The 1989 ban was introduced after a series of violent incidents on campuses. Its removal marks a significant return of electoral politics to Karnataka's educational institutions, though the government has sought to draw a clear line between student representation and partisan politics.
Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara said the elections would be conducted without political affiliation, with the government seeking to encourage democratic participation and leadership among students while keeping party politics away from campuses.
Under the proposed structure, each student union will have a president, two vice-presidents, a general secretary, two joint secretaries and a six-member executive committee. Four positions will be reserved for women one vice-president, one joint secretary and two executive committee members. The government, however, has decided against caste-based reservation in student unions.
Student elections to make a comeback in Karnataka, student body elections will be held in colleges and universities, no reservations based on caste will be allowed.
— Deepak Bopanna (@dpkBopanna) September 9, 2026
Candidates who are members of political student organisations will be permitted to contest, but they cannot campaign under the banner of a student organisation affiliated with a political party. The government has said the first phase will cover degree and pre-university colleges.
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The 1989 ban was introduced after a series of violent incidents on campuses. Its removal marks a significant return of electoral politics to Karnataka's educational institutions, though the government has sought to draw a clear line between student representation and partisan politics.