CHENNAI: The best indicator that the end of the college year is in sight, at least in most city colleges, is the conduct of elections. The way student elections are conducted has seen continuous change over the years. Power, money and perks are the top prizes that college elections have on offer and very often, these are not just some petty events. M Vaibhav, a second-year B Com student of a famous college in the city, who is now getting ready for the elections to be held in the last week of February, says that preparation for the hustings starts at the beginning of the year itself, where the outgoing batch helps the juniors find the best candidates to contest.“This is the first serious interaction we have with the seniors. Often, we are advised on strategy for campaigning and issues to be taken up. They chip in with valuable inputs,” he says.While all institutions have to adhere to a particular format in the conduct of the elections, some have their unique methods. Madras Christian College, the oldest college in Tambaram, apparently still follows a tradition known as ‘stooling’, wherein the candidate, dressed in formal attire, is made to stand atop a stool perched on a table, on stage. After this, students bombard the candidate with any query of their choice and the candidate is expected to answer, without losing his temper and with loads of courtesy. Rumour has it that after the ritual, the candidates are given a dip in the resident pond to complete the campaigning.At the Presidency College, elections are held in late September once the undergraduate admissions are done with. After the winner is announced, the college has a unique ritual that has been followed by batches since the 1980s. “The person who wins the elections is carried on the shoulders in a procession on Beach road. We usually start from the college gate and go to Anna Memorial. The best thing is that all who contested in the elections are encouraged to join in and bury any differences that would have cropped up during the campaign,” says Venkatesh, a third-year student.Students say that with the courts taking a serious view of Bus Day celebrations, election has become a much more important event as it is probably the only other ‘celebration’ of college life. “The acts of some unruly elements have resulted in the loss of a wonderful ritual. The only other significant event now is the elections and we want to ensure nothing untoward happens forcing even that to be cancelled,” says Christopher, a second-year student at Nandanam Arts College.Interestingly, the campaigning has moved from pamphlets and posters to the social media. These students say that Facebook and Orkut now form an integral part of their strategy as they often help put forth their ideas better. “We encouraged people to join our group on Orkut and present their views. We then devised the strategy accordingly, helping us get better acceptance,” says Christopher.
Comments
0 comment