Student Politics

Politics today, whether desirable or not, has become totalitarian in nature all around the world, varying only in terms of degree. It has become so pervasive that there exists no social institution that is not affected by politics or is devoid of internal politics and our university is no exception. Many university students are blinded form reality that some vested party leaders are using them as proxy party interest. Students must understand that Nepalese political leaders often try to misuse the ‘raw energy’ of youth to build their own careers. Student political movements usually distract bright students from their academic pursuit. They lose precious years chasing romantic dreams of changing the world, only to realize much later that they have lost precious years of their life.

There has been a recent incidence of protest, violence, and ongoing strike movements in our major academic institutions like Ratna Rajya Campus, Tri-Chandra Campus, and recently the clash between student Union members in Sanepa. This week tension ran high in front of Nepali Congress headquarters Lalitpur, after units of Nepal Students’ Union, the student wing of the party, clashed following a dispute over age bar to become a student leader. The two factions of the union, who had gathered to pile pressure on the party leadership to endorse the amended party statute, hurled stones at each other. From one side, demands range from 32 years age limit to no age bar at all and the other side were demanding the provision of age restriction to make space for new leadership.

Regardless of how authentic or not-so-authentic their actions were, the situation put forward some challenging questions. To what extend student politics is reasonable, since the margin has to be drawn somewhere? Citing some reasonable context in 1968, students in Germany, Poland, and Spain and across the globe protested especially against authoritarianism and imperialism. This student uprising collectively led social revolution in these regions. As a matter of fact, having realized the strength of students from these global phenomena, we created our own history of organized student protests in 1947 and students’ participation in the 50s rebellion against the Rana regime. So student politics and protest is not always a matter to criticize, it highly depend on how politics is practiced and on what context.

I agree that we have some glorious history about the achievement made possible because of student politics. But today we are racing against time, student politics is being misused by various stakeholders. Who is the driver behind all these protests? Is it the students themselves or some vested party leaders who are using students as proxy vehicle to serve their interest? Cursory look at political ground, one can easily witness major parties fueling their own vehicles, the student wings. So precisely, it’s has always been the clash between elephants but unfortunately, every time small grass (students) gets trampled.

What about the freedom not to involve in politics? Most academia want to remain apolitical but they find themselves forcedly indulged in politics despite their consent. When any student becomes part of University body you are immediately force-fitted under a political identity you may not feel comfortable with. After that, your every action will be interpreted by that political label. It’s great for some handful students (may be 5%) who ends up being future politicians. But what about the remaining 95%who get nothing except delayed exam/result, university strike and empty class, because of same student politics.

Similarly, what Universities students participate in is mis-defined as student politics however it was/is never the ‘actual’ student politics. Student political bodies should be involved in academic activities, and they should pressure educational authority to favor the students’ interest. But unfortunately, our student politics is just an advertisement and expansion of national politics. Instead of advocating for quality education they are indulged in University violence, postponing exams, delayed admission and many other anti-student activities.

The aforementioned cases are just trailer of how desperately our government had lost control over student politics. Amid this situation, would banning student politics yield some good to academia? Many tend to suggest so. But there exist no legal provision to put embargo on student politics because it’s one’s human right ensured by constitution to get involved in politics. Instead, we need to have some foundational reformation regarding our mechanisms to nurture young politicians. Breaking ties with national parties can be a good start. And supporting young leaders to form independent student bodies that advocate for the interests of the students are two most significant steps that needs to be formulated by government authority. Furthermore, educational institutions should take strong stand for enforcing university mandates regarding examinations, class regulation and students participation in other extra-curricular activities. Additionally, in name of creating young leaders, the political parties must stop recruiting students to serve their party interest.