Process of elections to be completed in next 10 days; will begin from October 7 and come to end on October 16, 2026
Bhubaneswar, October 5: The Odisha government on Monday announced that student union elections will be held across higher education institutions in the State after a gap of eight years.
The election process will begin on October 7 and be completed by October 16, with the elections scheduled for October 15 and oath-taking ceremonies on the morning of October 16.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has approved the decision to conduct the elections, which had remained suspended since 2017.
Announcing the decision after meeting the Chief Minister, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj said colleges would issue election notifications on October 7, while nominations would be filed on October 9.
“The detailed timeline and complete information will be provided by the department very soon. A final decision has been taken to hold the elections before the Dussehra holidays,” Mr. Suraj said.
He said the government considered the elections important for preparing students for future leadership roles. “Today’s students and student leaders are the future leaders of Odisha. This process will help them understand democratic responsibilities, the importance of democracy and constitutional values,” he said.
The Minister said the government had promised in its election manifesto to restore student union elections. After assuming office in 2024, the government spent 2025 addressing various issues on campuses and decided to move ahead with the elections in 2026, he said.
The elections will be conducted in accordance with the Supreme Court’s 2005 verdict and the recommendations of the J.M. Lyngdoh Committee, which had guided the conduct of student elections earlier.
Mr. Suraj said colleges would be allowed to take decisions in accordance with the prescribed guidelines. If a campus does not have a conducive environment, has low student strength or faces similar circumstances, the procedures followed in previous years would be adopted, he said.
On completing the election process within a short period, the Minister said the decision was aimed at minimising the possibility of campus violence and law-and-order problems.
“When elections are announced long in advance, law-and-order issues tend to arise. Since we have decided to complete college elections within 10 days, I believe campus violence will be minimal,” he said.
The Minister also appealed to all political parties to act responsibly and cooperate in ensuring that the elections are conducted peacefully and smoothly.
The return of student union elections marks a significant development for Odisha’s higher education campuses, where such elections have remained suspended since 2017.
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