The Patna University administration is set to decide today whether to proceed with the postponed student union elections, which were delayed after incidents of unrest and alleged violence on campus. The polls, originally scheduled for February 28, were postponed following reports of students allegedly assaulting a teacher and creating a disturbance on the campus.

Postponement and Unrest

The university had issued an order to book students for the alleged assault, but the students reportedly tendered an apology and requested that no case be filed against them. The electioneering was set to begin on Saturday evening, but the administration halted the process pending further orders. Candidates were to be finalized after scrutiny on Saturday, but the list was never released.

Students were reportedly incensed by the postponement, leading to attempts to stop the vice-chancellor’s car and creating a ruckus on campus. They later forced the Dean of Students Welfare to write that the election would be held as scheduled, though the order was not officially announced. A senior university official said that the administration would call prospective candidates to discuss the possibility of holding the election with a reduced campaigning period of just three days if approved.

The official added that the campaigning so far was illegal due to the lack of an official announcement of candidates after scrutiny. Candidates would be required to give an undertaking to adhere to the model code of conduct and prevent any repetition of incidents like the unauthorized entry by students at Patna Women’s College or the assault on a teacher at Patna Science College.

Accountability and Regulation Concerns

Taking a firm stance on the assault incident, the senior official said the vice-chancellor has directed the proctor to lodge a First Information Report (FIR). The Patna University Teachers’ Association has also called a meeting of its executive committee for Monday to decide on future actions.

ABVP state organizing secretary Dinesh Kumar criticized the university administration for diluting its regulations and statutes approved by the Chancellor to accommodate ineligible candidates. He stated that the association supported the rules framed by the university based on the Raj Bhawan statute, which mandates a five-year registration cap for students seeking to contest elections. Kumar emphasized that the candidates facing FIRs and those beyond the age or registration limits should not be considered.

The association has also written to the Lok Bhawan and the Patna University vice-chancellor about the issue. Kumar noted that the university authorities were to blame for not adhering to their own regulations.

History of Unrest and Irregular Elections

This is not the first time that Patna University has been in the news for negative reasons, with frequent incidents of unrest and police raids on its hostels, often closed for security reasons for extended periods. The PUSU election has historically been a difficult proposition, often held erratically due to security concerns.

The 2025 election was held after a gap of over two years. In the past, elections have remained suspended for years as authorities have been hesitant due to fears of violence. After 1984, PUSU polls could not be held due to fears of violence until 2012. It took another five years to hold the next election in 2018, and despite efforts to regularize the process, the campus environment has remained volatile.

Notably, as the drama unfolded in the late evening, a group of students reportedly kept university authorities, including a woman vice-chancellor, hostage for hours near the Pirbahore police station, while the administration remained a passive observer as the students dictated terms.

Patna University, India’s seventh oldest university, has an illustrious history and is located in the state capital, where the Governor’s office (the Chancellor) and the department of education are based. A senior teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that the essence of the student elections should be student and campus-centric, as per the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations. However, the situation has deteriorated, with good students avoiding participation due to the volatile environment.

The teacher added that if the election results in an assault on a teacher or hooliganism on the campus of a girls’ college, it would be pointless to hold it with blatant violations of the model code of conduct, as it would only encourage wrongdoers.