Team Herald
PANJIM: National Students Union of India (NSUI), Goa unit, slammed Goa University for scheduling the University Students Council (GUSC) elections on October 30, parallel to the examinations, which are currently underway in various colleges.
In the GUSC election, class representatives are elected in all the streams at the university and affiliated colleges. The class representatives then elect their university faculty representatives.
As per the election schedule, class representatives will be elected on October 10, while on October 17 elections for university faculty representatives will be held, who will then file the nominations for different posts of the executive committee of GUSC for the October 30 election.
The nomination process will begin on October 4 onwards. NSUI has threatened to take to the streets if a satisfactory reply on the delay is not given.
Addressing media persons, NSUI North Goa president Naushad Chowdhari said, “The council is one that deals with student’s issues and problems. How can elections take place after the end of first semester?” He alleged that the University is working as per the wishes of the government and not students.
NSUI also pointed out that the university has declared holidays on October 9, 10, 16, 17, 29 and 30, claiming to ensure that elections and exams don’t clash. “But the clashes have already happened. During exams, how will students campaign? Also there are issues like threatening, kidnapping and bribery and under such a situation, how can students study,” he said.
