Six candidates will fight for the post of president in the Punjab University (PU) student elections this year. SFS has fielded a female candidate and she is the only woman in the competition. The NSUI will fight alone with a lot of expectations and pressure while SOI, ABVP, and PUSU have joined hands with others in the contest. After contesting for the post of general secretary last year, PSU Lalkaar will fight for the presidential post for the first time. This year, SFS is only contesting the presidential post
The details of the candidates along with their agendas for the polls are given hereunder:
1). Kanu Priya, 22, Department of Zoology
Party: SFS
Hometown: Patti near Tarn Taran in Punjab
X-factor: an Only woman in presidential battle
What’s on the agenda?
- Building consciousness against privatization of education
- Right to hostels
- Bringing the concept of general body meeting to the student council
What’s in store: “As president, I want to ensure that each student takes part in the student council. Also, if I’m chosen, as the first woman president of PU, I can bring gender issues to the fore. Also, the 10 percent fee hike every year will not be an uninformed decision.”
2). Amandeep Singh, 22, Department of Urdu
Party: PSU Lalkaar
Hometown: Ludhiana, Punjab
X-factor: Provides free tuition to underprivileged students in the city’s periphery areas
What’s on the agenda?
- Solving the financial crunch that leads to fee hike every year
- Transparency in allotment of hostels
- 24-hour entry for girls in hostels
What’s in store: “Money muscle politics has taken over student politics. I will ensure that we only fight for student issues and call for sustained student struggle. Political parties should not be able to interfere in student politics.”
3). Anuj Singh, 22, UICET
Party: NSUI
Hometown: Ghaziabad, UP
X-factor: From Manoj Lubana group of NSUI
What’s on the agenda?
- Implementation of teachers’ evaluation by students
- Right to speak at the Senate
- Smart classrooms
What’s in store: “If elected, I will fight for representation of PUCSC in the Senate so that there’s a connection between the students and the authorities. If we can directly have representation in the Senate, then students will not be the losers.”
4). Iqbal Preet Singh Takhar, 24, a center for human rights and duties
Party: Alliance of SOI+ISA+INSO+HIMSU
Hometown: Mohali, Punjab
X-factor: President of the student council in GGDSD College, Sector 32, in 2014
What’s on the agenda?
- General body meeting in each block
- Transparency in hostel allotment
- Single-window system for hostel grievances
What’s in store: “I will look into basic issues by making the best use of the resources that are already available on the campus. Also, instead of focusing on newer issues, I want to smoothen out existing flaws in the system.”
5). Ravinder Bir Singh Randhawa, 24, dental sciences
Party: Alliance of PUSU and HPSU
Hometown: Batala, Punjab
X-factor: Belongs to an oldest homegrown party
What’s On the agenda?
- Incentives for research scholar such as single rooms, free transport, and air-conditioned rooms
- The makeover of South campus
- Better placements for students
What’s in store: “If elected, I want to serve the students to the best of my ability and highlight the problems of students so that the council only remains exclusive to issues of students.”
6). Ashish Rana, 22, UILS
Party: Alliance of ABVP and SFPU
Hometown: Karnal, Haryana
X-factor: Belongs to the department with a major share in vote bank
What’s on the agenda?
- Modernisation of equipment in departments such as physics and chemistry
- Central university status for PU and heritage tag
- Hygiene and mess facilities in hostels
What’s in store: “If elected, I will work hard to ensure that the administration works according to a pattern. Students and administration should work in sync to reap maximum benefit. This in change will ensure that students’ grievances are addressed through and through.”
