The University Grants Commission has asked universities and colleges to facilitate the registration of young students as voters.

The directive has drawn mixed reactions from academics, some condemning it as another non-academic imposition on universities’ time after the Modi selfie point and Yoga Day diktats, and others welcoming it as a way of boosting democratic values and a sense of citizenship.

Commission secretary Manish Joshi wrote to all vice-chancellors and college principals on December 19 to create awareness about voting rights among students in the 17-plus age group. Indians become eligible to be voters at 18.

The letter follows a memorandum of understanding that the education ministry has signed with the Election Commission, promising to incorporate voter education and electoral literacy into the higher education system.

“The HEIs (higher educational institutions) are requested to disseminate the information (on how to register as a voter) and take necessary steps to take up the suggested activities mentioned in the annexure (to the letter) for deepening the spirit of democracy in the country,” the UGC letter says.

One of the “suggested activities” for the institutions is to include voter education and electoral literacy in the curriculum in consultation with the poll panel. “Organise intensive activities on the occasion of National Voters’ Day, and undertake voter awareness drive by students during the election time,” the annexure says.

Abha Dev Habib, a faculty member at Miranda House College, said universities are places of teaching and research and should not be used for voter registration or voter awareness campaigns.

She feared that a voter registration drive would be “hijacked by the ABVP and similar groups on campuses to promote a party ideology”.

Habib cited the recent UGC directive to campuses to set up selfie points with cut-outs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with a message about the government’s activities and programmes.

“The selfie points, coloured in white and saffron, with a big image of the Prime Minister, do not seem to spread awareness about India’s achievements. They look like those hoardings one sees in front of BJP
or RSS offices,” Habib
said.

“This (directive to facilitate voter registration) shows the government’s attitude towards educational institutions. Education is not the priority. The government asks campuses to observe Yoga Day, Swachhata Day, National Unity Day, Army Day, Surgical Strike Day and so on….”

The vice-chancellor of a central university who didn’t want to be quoted welcomed the UGC advisory as “a good step”.

“One of the objectives of higher education is to create responsible citizens who take pride in democratic processes. Elections are an important aspect of democracy in which all responsible citizens should take part,” he said.

The VC said that a large proportion of urban voters, including the youth, stay away from the polling booths.

“The young need to understand the value of their votes. When they vote, they get involved in the democratic process, form opinions and express their suggestions,” he said.