Cuttack, Aug. 10: Ravenshaw University has come up with an alternative model for representation of students.

It has decided to replace the single apex students' union body with students' councils for each of the nine schools that have a total 34 departments.

"With the alternative model, we aim to strengthen the idea of representation of students through direct election at the school/department level and enhance students' participation through decentralisation of the election process," vice-chancellor Prakash Chandra Sarangi told The Telegraph today.

"The alternative model of representation will be adopted in the upcoming students election (2017-18) of the university," Sarangi said.

The university authorities were hopeful that the students' councils would "prevent the role of external forces, use of money power and violence in the process of election".

According to the new plan, each of the undergraduate students (first, second and third years) and postgraduate students (first and second years) of the different departments will elect their representatives (one for each class) directly through secret ballot at the department level. All the representatives will become the members of the respective schools.

The students' council of each school will elect through secret ballot a convenor and deputy convenor from among its members.

The students' councils of each of the schools will also elect from among them a student to represent existing societies of the university - DSA, SSG, Dramatic Society and Athletic Club - to form the students' council for each of them. Each of the students' councils of the societies will elect their respective convenors and deputy convenors from among their members.

The varsity's executive council had decided to keep in abeyance the process of representation of students through a method of direct election "till some form of indirect representation through an electoral college could be designed".

Accordingly, the university had constituted a committee to come up with an alternative model of representation to the students' union to replace direct elections with some form of indirect representation. On July 18 it had issued a notice inviting views of stakeholders, including parents, students and civil society groups by July 22.

"Out of the 15 responses, 12 were in favour of changing the existing process of election," Sarangi claimed.

The decision to do away with direct elections for formation of a students' union had received opposition from some quarters on the ground that it was against democratic norms and tradition of the premier institution.

"With the introduction of students' council model, the scope of participation will only strengthen the democratic process by expanding the scope of participation," the vice-chancellor said. "During the past few years, it has been observed that the turnout rate of voting is about 50 per cent. The students council model is expected to provide greater opportunities for higher rate of participation."

The authorities said a large number of days were lost in electoral campaigning as well as due to pre and post election violence. They expected that "now face-to-face acquaintance between the voters and candidates will reduce the loss of productive time".

"The alternative model is an attempt to strike a balance between providing quality education and inculcating ideas of democratic values by ensuring minimum loss in teaching hours with more participation and greater transparency," the vice-chancellor said.