Bhubaneswar: After eight years, college and university campuses will return to the ballot box on Thursday, reviving student union elections that were last held in 2017. The polls have triggered intense campaigning by rival student organisations, with campus infrastructure, safety and student welfare dominating the agenda amid concerns over violence and nomination disputes.The higher education department on Wednesday said that a total of 6,891 candidates are in the fray across 359 higher educational institutions, including 346 colleges and 13 universities. Of these, 866 candidates are contesting for president (828 in colleges and 28 in universities), 716 for vice-president (679 in colleges and 37 in universities), and 616 for general secretary (593 in colleges and 23 in universities).Polling will be held from 8 am to 2 pm on Oct 15, with results scheduled for the same day. Newly elected representatives will take oath on Oct 16.The contest has brought Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), associated with BJP; Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD), linked to BJD; and Congress-affiliated National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) into the spotlight. All-India Students’ Federation (AISF) and independent candidates are also contesting.However, the return of campus democracy has been clouded by unrest. Polls have been cancelled in at least 15 colleges across the state for various reasons, including violence and protests over rejected nominations.Amid reports of continuing student unrest, higher education minister Suryabanshi Suraj on Wednesday urged heads of higher educational institutions to ensure free and fair elections and appealed to candidates and voters to maintain peace. “We have set up a control room in the higher education department to monitor the election process across colleges and universities. The facility will keep a close watch on polling-related developments and help authorities respond promptly to any untoward incident,” Suraj said.He extended his best wishes to all candidates and stressed that student leadership should emerge through a violence-free democratic process. He also urged students to exercise their franchise peacefully and avoid disrupting campus harmony.The department has prescribed Lyngdoh Committee guidelines and a code of conduct for the polls. Candidates have been selected based on age and academic criteria, a minimum attendance of 75%, and the absence of disqualifying criminal or disciplinary records. The age limit is 17-22 years for undergraduates and 25 years for postgraduates. Institutions have also been asked to curb misinformation, including AI-generated content.Students enrolled in self-financing courses through Student Academic Management System (SAMS) are eligible to vote and contest, while those in public-private partnership (PPP) programmes are excluded.“For students who have spent their entire college lives without regular union elections, Thursday’s vote marks a return to campus-level democratic representation. But the real test will be whether the elected unions can translate campaign promises into sustained action on student welfare and academic concerns,” said a vice-chancellor of a city-based university, requesting anonymity.The last statewide elections were held in 2017. Polls scheduled for 2018 were cancelled amid Cyclone Titli and campus disturbances. Elections remained suspended in subsequent years, including during the Covid-19 pandemic. BJP govt subsequently promised to restore campus polls, with chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi backing their revival.