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The Stephanian Forum SOCIETY "Neither the life of an individual nor the history of a society can be understood without understanding both" -C. Wright Mills Team Stephania (2024-25) Sep 1 Exploring Socio-Psychological Concepts in Everyday Life Drowning in the endless deadlines accompanying academic life, it is often easy to lose sight of how our academic pursuits fit into the... Avaantika Vivek Mar 2, 2023 Framing Women’s Sports Rethinking How We View Our Female Athletes Why is it that so many people think women’s sports are intrinsically less interesting than their male counterparts? ‘Framing Women’s Sports: Rachel Elsa Jude Feb 7, 2023 Don't We Keep Coming Back? We are all chasing our dreams, or maybe are on the journey of finding them. Although not necessary, it does require moving out of our... The Stephanian Forum Nov 14, 2022 Towards a Greener Menstruation In a scenario, where safe menstruation for every female is imperative, the amount of steadily growing menstrual waste is an equally acute... Rachel Batra Oct 31, 2022 The Juncture of Nature-Nurture Unveiling our connection with the divine, the curtain of nature-nurture. How we are connected with not just each other but the cosmos.... Maria Charles Nov 29, 2021 The Power of Harmless Flattery Flattery is a word with a bad reputation, often considered in a negative context. But is it always that bad? Allen Mathew Sep 25, 2021 Revenge Bedtime Procrastination: What is it and how you probably have it. It’s pretty darn dark outside, and raining; I’m in my room, with the fan running and the tube light switched on... Jane Eliza Cyriac Sep 16, 2021 The Impact of COVID-19: Refugees. According to reports from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), nearly 1 person is forcibly displaced every 2 seconds. Drona Sharma Sep 8, 2021 We are Grateful Dear Corona Warriors, greetings on behalf of your anxious yet grateful human family. Renee Jose Nov 8, 2020 We Need To Talk! The increasing dialogues on mental wellness, in lieu of the rising numbers of suicide cases among the youth, has urged many of us to... Jasjeev Singh Sahni Sep 30, 2020 From Desks to Desktops: The Virus’s Undoing of Education The biography of education in India foretells a constant state of flux in the medium of teaching. From the slate-chalk, the blackboard-chalk Aishwarya Mukhopadhyay Sep 25, 2017 Surviving in a Post-Truth World: Shoma Chaudhury on the needs of the times Disclaimer: The Stephanian Forum does not take any institutional position on its content and would like to inform readers that the views,... Vrinda Sharma Aug 13, 2017 Freedom of Expression and Netiquette Disclaimer: The Stephanian Forum does not take any institutional position on its content and would like to inform readers that the views,... Shreemayi Samujjwala Jul 30, 2017 Unfetter those words now, shall we? Disclaimer: The Stephanian Forum does not take any institutional position on its content and would like to inform readers that the views,... The Stephanian Forum Sep 24, 2016 Comedy is a blood-sport I live to see times when a comedy show that means no harm to any individual, religion, god or the society as a whole, is crucified. To... Pragya Jat Oct 15, 2015 On Secularism and a Happy Co-Existence. Secularism, a term as intrinsic to my understanding of India as electoral competition. But, apparently for some in the current political... The Stephanian Forum Sep 19, 2015 Of gendered spaces and absolute equality. An interview of The SUS President for the year, Aina Singh. The interview team comprises Rishi Bryan (IInd English), Urvi Khaitan (IInd... Vikram Grewal Aug 17, 2015 FIFA 16: Snowballing Feminism into Football. Ignoring the ‘fratricidal’ FIFA wars over Sepp Blatter, the officials at EA Sports gave the masses something unprecedented earlier this... Soumyajit Kar Jul 28, 2015 How much of feminism do we understand? “She feels good when they split all expenses, but also when he buys her flowers. Inside the modern feminist lies an archaic desire.”... Prerna Geeta Manian Jan 10, 2015 Following a Religion- A Façade? “You are a black stain on Hinduism if you love a Muslim man.” “I won’t let you marry a Muslim.” “Muslims are terrorists.” While studying... Soumyajit Kar Dec 16, 2014 Gender and the Epics “Being a woman is a terribly difficult task, since it consists principally in dealing with men.” — Joseph Conrad Hinduism is probably the...

The Stephanian Forum IDEAS Stephania View Culture View Politics View Society View Team Stephania (2024-25) Sep 1 Exploring Socio-Psychological Concepts in Everyday Life Drowning in the endless deadlines accompanying academic life, it is often easy to lose sight of how our academic pursuits fit into the... Team Stephania (2023-24) Dec 18, 2023 Semester Snapshots THE PLANNING FORUM ORIENTATION The Planning Forum’s orientation on August 24, 2023, inaugurated a new year of events for the society by... The Stephanian Forum Nov 6, 2023 Education, Elections and Expectations: Student Elections as a Case Study in Psephology Disclaimer: All views and opinions expressed are those of the author/authors’ and are not indicative of views held by The Stephanian... Team Stephania (2023-24) Oct 26, 2023 An Interview with Mr. N.K. Singh Mr. N.K. Singh, a distinguished Indian politician, renowned economist, and former IAS officer, presently serving as the Chairman of the... Arish Isa Oct 2, 2023 How the British and French sent the Middle East to the noose Throughout our lives, the Middle East has been a region synonymous with warfare and instability. Regardless of our age, we’ve heard of a... Team Stephania (2023-24) Sep 15, 2023 The Hidden Gems of St. Stephen's In the hustle and bustle of life, one rarely pays attention to the myriad of treasures that one passes by regularly. The St. Stephen’s... Avaantika Vivek Mar 2, 2023 Framing Women’s Sports Rethinking How We View Our Female Athletes Why is it that so many people think women’s sports are intrinsically less interesting than their male counterparts? ‘Framing Women’s Sports: Rachel Elsa Jude Feb 7, 2023 Don't We Keep Coming Back? We are all chasing our dreams, or maybe are on the journey of finding them. Although not necessary, it does require moving out of our... Inderpal Singh Nov 27, 2022 One Week, Two Elections, Three Lessons My first month in college residence introduced me to the phenomena of college elections. If there is something in the college close to... The Stephanian Forum Nov 14, 2022 Towards a Greener Menstruation In a scenario, where safe menstruation for every female is imperative, the amount of steadily growing menstrual waste is an equally acute... Rachel Batra Oct 31, 2022 The Juncture of Nature-Nurture Unveiling our connection with the divine, the curtain of nature-nurture. How we are connected with not just each other but the cosmos.... Priyel Kumar Oct 17, 2022 Garlands An unlikely comparison between wars and garlands, a heart-breaking state of affairs and the complete breakdown of a system. The war widow... Anoushka Dominic Jan 28, 2022 The Age of Anthropocene The words Climate Change and Global Warming are often bandied about. Phenomena, deadly enough to wipe out our entire species and yet, in... Maria Charles Nov 29, 2021 The Power of Harmless Flattery Flattery is a word with a bad reputation, often considered in a negative context. But is it always that bad? Rhea Rose Kappan Oct 25, 2021 SOS: Indian Art and Culture India’s history is steeped in rich culture and tradition. And yet, we are caught unaware; Unaware of the beauty that exists within those.... Who We Are The Stephanian Forum is an initiative by a few students of St. Stephen’s College who aim to create a platform to voice their opinions without a filter. It is an open space where ideas, perspectives and experiences about everything, from a grain of rice to the dire situations we face today, coexist. If you’re wondering who we are and what we do, know this, YOU are us— you define The Stephanian Forum. From the articles you read, to the ones you ponder over and finally those you contribute to this space, all that we are capable of, starts with you. DISCLAIMER The Stephanian Forum is an independent initiative taken up by a group of students of St. Stephen’s college. It is necessary to note that this is not the official website of the college and has no correlation with it whatsoever. The content published on this site is entirely based on the independent and subjective opinion of the writers.

The trials and triumphs of virtual college: A Stephanian Experience Team Stephania (2020-21) Tasha Ahmed, Kevin Joy Varghese, Jame Thomas Mathew, Rhea Rose Kappan It was not about turning a handle and pushing the door. A mere 'join with audio' was hair raising enough. "Ah, you're finally here, can you hear me?" was the war cry. College interviews are never not an ordeal. Having this year's interviews online meant that the preparation ritual also involved appeasing the internet gods. First-years sharing their experience conceded that it was rather singular. Those having the misfortune of a power cut sizzled and shivered simultaneously mirroring the oscillating nature of the interviews. While there was hardly anyone without cold feet, some are of the opinion that the online format facilitated calmness. "I minimised my window so it was just me wooing my dark academia background to get me into college" declared one. The professors turned out to be quite patient and empathetic and regularly checked on the interviewee. Which of course didn't stop them from the infamous grilling sessions– "What similarities do you see in your position in the pandemic and a nineteenth-century women writer?" was a bouncer an English hopeful received. "Half my interview consisted of me arguing why sports has no prospects, while the interviewer fiercely differed, and in the end, I got in through basketball," chuckled another. One shared that “ due to poor connectivity, I couldn't hear anything that the principal said. I just smiled and nodded along which seemed to work". Were there any significant advantages though? The attempt of one candidate to seek sneaky help from a sibling backfired since even two minds couldn't find answers to the trying questions. On the other hand, others sat on the edge with harrowing thoughts of eavesdropping parents. For everyone, it was a memorable experience. But would you like to have such an interview again? “Only if it is for Stephen’s.” winks A. The wait for the interview results was nerve-wracking, but it was a proud moment when one finally became a ‘Stephanian’. Be it classes or assemblies, the excitement among the first years was palpable. “Online classes were fun in the beginning, I remember everyone being so enthusiastic and asking questions constantly. I even used to dress up just so that I could turn my video on,” says one. The weirdest part of the whole online experience was talking to people one has never met. Bonding with classmates online was tough and awkward at first, but in the end almost everyone found reliable friends. “Zoom calls, online games and the endless Whatsapp groups are our daily routine. I even remember waking up to 300 messages one day,” says another. “But nonetheless, now that everything was conducted online it was a bittersweet moment.” How would you describe your online classes in one word? “Chaotic”, says one. “I chose the word chaotic because my experience has been everything but mundane. There is so much going on at the same time which is very exciting as well as confusing.” “It is disappointing that I am not able to experience the beauty of college life in its truest essence. I would have loved to be on campus, mingle with my friends, and enjoy it fully,” says a student. When the number of questions in class was reduced and the videos were turned off, it was clear that the students' enthusiasm had waned. College classes became exhausting after a point and the excess screen time did not help. “Earlier I would be on my phone throughout, but now I make sure I keep it aside for an hour or two because I am so tired of just staring at a screen.” Another student says that it was hard for them to concentrate, “ I zoned out occasionally and when I could finally come back to my senses half of the class was already over. It's just that I had set my expectations so high that this online scenario almost feels disappointing ” Well, who would you blame for these insanely high expectations? “ To be very honest, I for one would blame “Student of the Year," she chuckles. The weeks went by, and the college experience was limited to a 14-inch screen when one January afternoon, Residence opened up. Tired of being confined at home for almost a year and a burning curiosity to explore the hallowed corridors of St. Stephen’s brought the uninitiated first years from all over the country to college. It was a dream come true. The months spent attending classes online felt like a trailer, and now finally, it was time for the movie. “A lot of my seniors texted me when I arrived asking how college was and whether I had been to the Jarvis Pond, Parnshala, or knew who Chandni and JPji were. Their questions would not stop! The incessant badgering convinced me that college was much more than what I could see through my isolation room’s window,” says a Mukh-West resident. The next couple of weeks were spent unravelling all the mystery that was St. Stephen's College. As time went by, away from the safety and comfort of home, first year residents now found solace and company among their batchmates who were curious enough to grab the opportunity of living on-campus. Innumerous days were spent sprawled across the lawns, chatting away and cracking jokes while eating the infamous mince-anda-maggi from Science Dhaba. While most of the freshers agreed that college had been great so far, the seniors had a different perspective. “You have not experienced college in its totality. You have just seen the campus when in fact you have missed out on so much: the company of your classmates, the mere cacophony, running after your professors, trying to calculate how much attendance you have to bunk the next class and go to Hudson Lane, engaging in intellectual discourse with strangers you meet in the hallway. Trust me, there is so much more,” says a third-year. As more batches of junior members arrived, the mess hall started filling up, yet the menu remained a love triangle between dal and aloo with us being the third wheel. Life in college was slowly becoming what it would have been like a year ago. For a while, it all seemed perfect. As COVID strikes again, the fear of spending yet another year at home was creeping in. Stephen's still remains a mystery to a majority of the first years, but the hope of walking through the red-bricked corridors one day is what keeps them going.

Drowning in the endless deadlines accompanying academic life, it is often easy to lose sight of how our academic pursuits fit into the ways of the “real world”. When journeying down such a path, a little reminder of how learnings from our courses figure in everyday findings kindles a newfound curiosity.  This short piece aims to bring us to the realisation of how the world around us shapes them while we simultaneously shape it. Each one of us has a bit of the college in us and we too make up the college.  A crucial experience in college life is often making friends and finding the ones who match your “vibe”. Even the current buzzwords that your peers just “get” because everyone’s algorithm is pushing the same few trending reels, are studied as a part of sociology. The concept of ‘ Symbolic Interactionism ’  emphasizes words and the meanings we ascribe to them. These meanings are not inherent to them (yes, “tea” did not always mean the latest gossip exchanged excitedly); they are learned and re-learned through social interactions and receptions by the social group. This means we often build our social worlds with our words.  The ‘ Social Learning Theory ’  points out that we learn from our observing environment, cognition, and peers. This subtly manifests in precisely which snacks of the day to order from the Cafe and which places to sit, when at the Science Dhaba to avoid the menacing monkeys.  The different experiences and perspectives that we bring out in every act of our day, is what makes us uniquely human. The theory of ‘ Social Phenomenology ’ brings this to the forefront.  For example, based on your previous experiences in life and how they have shaped the realities you build for yourself; you will face the different challenges that come with college life in your own way. For some, settling into a life away from home comes naturally, while for others not so much. There is no right or wrong to it, just unique people finding unique pathways to work through. Thus, your experiences will be a valuable addition to our college, which the perspectives of those before you have also shaped. Queuing up in front of classroom doors before the previous class leaves, just to secure the best seats. The society talk that never seems to end, the fervour and heat with which discussions regarding events, activities and volunteering tasks take place are all testament to the immense influence that we as students within this college and outside exert on each other, albeit unknowingly. Fitting in is hard, especially when you are in that phase of your life where you are expected to make the best memories, find your true interests, and make a path for yourself.  ‘ Herd mentality ’ is something else that may emerge when people are in new and unfamiliar situations. It can be traced back to John Keynes, who described it as a response to uncertainty where people may follow the crowd because they think that the rest of the crowd is better informed. However, after Keynes, economists have tended to ignore these socio-psychological influences and have retained rationality assumptions.  It would be a mistake however to gloss over the impact that herding behaviour has on moods, personality, and emotions. Research done on cognitive psychology has shown that humans differ from other species in the development of social norms and mutually shared expectations which inform them about what actions are normal, appropriate or just given any situation. The Asch experiment where subjects were found to have conformed to the erroneous majority view, has shown that the human mind is built to be receptive to social norms and self-censor actions in advance to avoid deviating from the set norms. Overall, it's safe to assume that college life is a blend of both individual and collective experiences that the student body faces as a whole. How we adapt and learn from these experiences plays an important role in our mental and personal development.  Therefore it’s essential to recognize the role we play in each other's life and be mindful about these subtle influences. This will not just transform the way we look at social interactions in general, but also nudge us to be inquisitive about how the learning in classrooms spills over to the life beyond it.

THE PLANNING FORUM ORIENTATION The Planning Forum’s orientation on August 24, 2023, inaugurated a new year of events for the society by acquainting individuals passionate about Public Policy and Policy-making with the core essence of the society. It started with the introduction of the various events that the Forum holds, like the Alumni Talks, Policy Conclave, Policy Arena, SMUN, Chatrashala, and the like, to familiarise them with the society and its events. They were introduced to the Stephanian Forum, a Planning Forum initiative that offers a creative space and platform for individuals who are eager to express their thoughts and find a voice. Finally, the entertaining trivia round at the end heightened the overall enjoyment as the first years answered questions about the college for a chance to win the chocolate sticks. LECTURE SESSION BY SHRUTI LAKHTAKIA In the digital realm, within the virtual auditorium of the internet, an online lecture emerged as a beacon of knowledge and inspiration. The speaker, Shruti Lakhtakia, an economist at the World Bank and a DPhil in Public policy candidate at the Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford, materialised on screens like a digital sage, ready to embark on a journey of enlightenment. The event aptly themed Academia and Policy: a two-way exchange transported attendees into a fairy tale. As the lecture began, the pixels on the screen danced in harmony with the speaker’s words, casting a spell that transcended the boundaries of physical space. The event commenced with a keynote address of invitee by Yakov George, a member of the Economics Society of St.Stephen’s College. The lecture talk by the speaker emphasised the crucial role of academia in providing evidence-based research to inform policy decisions. She also discussed how academia plays a pivotal role in offering comprehensive research, data and expert opinions to guide effective policy-making. Examples were shared of successful collaborations where academic research influenced policy decisions at local, national and international levels. Collaborations with IDB and IMF were presented. The speaker’s voice, a river of wisdom, flowed with the cadence of a seasoned storyteller, drawing in the virtual audience. With each word, she painted vivid mental landscapes, forging connections across the digital expense. Numerous questions were asked on the diversity of academia and the equitability of crime research in academia. As the lecture reached its zenith, the screen seemed to expand, enveloping the audience in a digital crescendo of inspiration. The knowledge imparted was not confined to the virtual world; it ignited a spark within each participant. The lecture ended with a thank you note by Drishty of the Economics Society who described the lecture as enriching and thought-provoking. And as the lecture concluded, the digital sage bid farewell leaving a trail of luminous insights in their wake. The online lecture, a digital symphony of intellect and imagination, had transformed the screens into gateways to enlightenment, a testament to the boundless power of human curiosity in the digital age THE INAUGURAL LECTURE To raise the bar of excellence of a country even higher the economy contributes a major role and what connects them all strongly is Globalisation. The global economy is innately tied to trade; it allows countries around the world to obtain any resource they may want, whether or not it is produced on the home front. This availability of resources is facilitated through trade. During times of peace, it is beneficial in a global economy, to see other nations succeed. On the other hand, during times of unrest, dependence on outside nations, in a global economy, may seem scary. Due to globalisation and other factors, it is impossible for large industrialised nations to exit the global economy unscathed. Addressing these major issues, the Planning forum at St Stephen's College hosted an interactive session on the 13th of October, 2023 with Mr Auguste Tano kouamé who briefed the audience on the topic "Navigating troubled waters: The Global Economy and India" and gave invaluable insights through his achievements and experiences. He is the World Bank’s Country Director for India and a national of Côte d’Ivoire. He most recently served as the World Bank’s Country Director for the Republic of Türkiye and a Director in the World Bank Group’s Independent Evaluation Group. He also held positions as a Practice Manager in the Macroeconomics and Fiscal Management Practice of the World Bank, first in Latin America and Caribbean countries and then in the Middle East and North Africa regions. Mr Kouame talked about the substantial decrease in growth of economies in the world and drew a clear picture of the global economy and how it was affected by the pandemic but despite the headwind, India sailed its ship rather smoothly and persevered in the run of development and growth. These enriching thoughts and ideas made the audience more cognizant about the contributions they need to put into making India reach heights unimaginable THE TREASURE HUNT On the sunny afternoon of September 21ST, 2023,  Planning Forum Treasure Hunt unfolded on the sprawling SCR lawns. This unique event combined the thrill of a treasure hunt with exploring policy-related themes. Participants eagerly embraced the challenge, demonstrating their enthusiasm for learning and community engagement. Treasure hunts have a timeless appeal, fostering creativity, teamwork, and an innate sense of adventure. The Planning Forum Treasure Hunt sought to channel this spirit, offering participants a day of fun. Through this Treasure Hunt, we aimed to challenge participants with a series of mind-bending puzzles and riddles and to create a memorable and enjoyable experience for all attendees. The college grounds offered a perfect setting for exploration and adventure, with various nooks and crannies waiting to be discovered. The Treasure Hunt saw participation from students across courses. This diversity added a rich layer to the event, fostering interdisciplinary interactions and creating lasting memories for all involved. The Hunt was a resounding success, achieving its objectives and leaving a lasting impact on the college community. Participants bonded over shared challenges, fostering a sense of camaraderie and belonging, which is what matters at the end of the day. CHATRASHALA Held on Sunday, the 3rd of December, Chatrashala proved to be an exceptionally heartwarming occasion. The Planning Forum warmly welcomed children onto the campus to spend a day engaging with and educating them. During self-introductions, we encountered young individuals like Abhinav, expressing the desire to become a chef as they grow older. Abhinav shared tales of crafting chai for grandparents and revealed a steadfast refusal to cook for sisters deemed too mean. This blend of passion in the kitchen and resilience against injustice promises to shape dynamic personalities during their early educational years. Encountering young girls aspiring to become sportspersons underscored the evolving dynamics of youth education, irrespective of gender. The ability of children to dream diversely and ambitiously, unencumbered by limitations, marks a positive shift in youth education. Among the myriad ambitions expressed, from engineers to teachers to doctors, a notable enthusiasm for cricket emerged among many, boys and girls alike. This was attributed to the formation of a cricket team inspiring pride in its multiple victories. Engaging in various games with the children revealed the spirited and energetic nature inherent to kids. Laughter echoed as we participated in activities such as barf aur panni, football, and the hanky game, turning into a nostalgic journey through our own childhood memories. The drawing session, where children and volunteers gathered enthusiastically to depict everything from Doraemon to grape vines and amusing incidents from the event, was a heartwarming reminder of our childhood artistic endeavours. The drawings, each reflecting the unique and vibrant aspects of the children's personalities, contributed to an innocent and heartening atmosphere. As everyone immersed themselves in the art, the session became a showcase of creativity eagerly shared to please.At the end, all children received certificates and chocolates, expressing gratitude for the delightful time they provided and acknowledging their endearing qualities. We remain appreciative of their lively presence, offering a welcome distraction from impending exams and creating one of our most memorable days.

Disclaimer: All views and opinions expressed are those of the author/authors’ and are not indicative of views held by The Stephanian Forum and its team. What if we told you that any student election contested anywhere makes for a very interesting case study in democracy and psephology? But before we go on to talk about how, let’s take a trip down the corridors of history and look at another watershed moment. Imagine yourself standing at the turn of an era. India is independent. You have a nearly blank slate. You are the leader of a newly independent India, and the first general elections are around the corner. You have an important decision to make, a decision that will be significant in so many ways, a decision that will decide the trajectory that this new nation will take, a decision that will put down the values and principles that will shape its future: the simple decision of who should have the right to vote. Today, it may strike you as a pretty straightforward question - why, shouldn’t every adult citizen have the right to vote – Universal Adult Franchise – yada yada! It fits so naturally in our vision of democracy that anything otherwise seems unthinkable, even counterintuitive. But seventy-five years ago, this answer was not as clear as it is today. Although it comprised only a small group, there were people who doubted the merit of granting everyone the right to vote. “A future and more enlightened age will view with astonishment the absurd farce of recording the votes of millions of illiterate people.” These words were said by Penderel Moon on the occasion of India’s first general elections. Moon was an ex-Indian Civil Service official and a scholar from Oxford. Another editor from Madras, C.R. Srinivasan, around the same time, called these elections “the biggest gamble in the history of democracy”. Unsurprisingly, there were resonating voices along the same lines coming from the west too. These concerns were but natural, since only 16% of India’s adult population was literate back then. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since. Today, the literacy rate stands at 68% and 84% in rural and urban areas respectively. A pertinent question at the heart of this debate is this - how much of a difference, and what kind of difference, does education make when it comes to voting patterns?. The question at the heart of this article is an even more radical one - does education even make a difference to voting patterns at all? You may ask: what does this academic debate of political science have to do with an “apolitical” college such as St. Stephen’s? Well, we would say - everything in this world! This is a good time to brood over this thought-provoking question since only last month the college ran its annual Student Union elections. SUS elections or any other student body elections hold important lessons to answer this question. College elections are one space where we find a 100% literacy rate. Everybody who attends college has a high school education or equivalent. Everybody is educated in subjects like civics, history, political science and sociology, not to mention basic literacy and numeracy. Everyone is deemed to be a rational agent, capable of making their own pragmatic choices by virtue of their education. Especially when it comes to a college like Stephen’s, the so-called “chosen ones” are supposedly “the brightest minds” in the country. Therefore, rationally speaking, it would be fair to expect that the quality of student elections in educational institutions should be much, much better than the quality of, say, India’s general elections. Well, first, what does “quality” of elections mean? Let’s try to define that in concrete terms. It seems the idea of quality boils down, broadly, to four factors. 1. Quality of issues on which elections are fought 2. The way campaigning is done 3. The way the electorate votes 4. Voter turnout Mind you, these factors are not exhaustive in any sense, but seek to give a wide picture. An easy example would be the common assumption that an electorate consisting of more illiterate voters will be more likely to get divided on issues of identity: religious, geographical, caste, gender, etc; whereas, a literate electorate should vote regardless of allegiances made on these lines. Representation, of course, is always a yes-yes, but voting simply because somebody comes from your identity group, or vote-bank politics for that matter, is presumably e a tendency of voters who are turning a blind eye to other more important factors, such as the promises and policies the candidates are proposing, their motivations to contest, their political choices, etc. Well, does that ring a bell? Isn’t that what happens year after year in our student elections? Students’ choices stemming from personal biases, allegiances to identity, stereotypes, and falling for lofty promises - it visibly keeps happening. It seems educated voters get as conveniently polarized as uneducated voters. There seems to be unsaid rules of contesting student elections, whether SUS or DUSU. It’s as if the cards are laid, and one has to play one’s best hand with them. What are these cards? One can make some intelligent guesses. Regionalism is one. Caste is another. Ideology is yet another. A lot of times, the candidates do not want to play on the lines of these easy routes, but they (have to) end up doing so because of reasons beyond their control. Oh, that seems too much food for thought to chew, doesn’t it? Let’s get some fresh air and move out of the Rudra gate. The road leads to Vishwavidyalaya Metro Station. It’s the month of August and September. You are stuck in a traffic jam. It seems the jam extends from the inner depths of Kamla Nagar all the way to Vishwavidyala and GTB metro stations. Desperate, uncomfortable, sweaty and stinky, biting your lips in a traffic jam in an e-rickshaw, looking at your watch time and again, you cannot miss the road having been turned white with the pamphlets and cards of DUSU contestants. The sky is hidden behind the banners and hoardings with the same blue or red text on white backgrounds. The blandness of these pamphlets and hoardings is conspicuous - they do not carry anything, anything, but the name of the candidate, bordered by the repeating name of the party they belong to. No slogan, no promises, no agenda - not even a photo - just the name printed in a font as large as possible. Come on, you wonder, at least they could have someone even the least bit Canva-savvy to edit this banner. A little more colour would have done no harm. Yet, one cannot forget these names that leave an indelible imprint in one’s mind for a long time. Even blank text, when presented with loudness, has such an impressionable effect, it seems! You cannot help but compare these sights with any Indian election you must have witnessed - local to state to national. There lie stark differences as well as similarities. While both employ large crowds to display power, use money (read: big budgets) and muscle (read: Fortuners, Audis and Thars), and make hefty promises, there are marked differences in the way the campaigns work - the way messages are put across, agenda are set and, well, placards are designed. These thought-trails leave you disappointed. One expects more from student elections. It’s difficult to define what the “more” is, but it should at least be some rungs higher than the quality of elections we see today. Disappointed, as you return to college where there is a conspicuous lack of such cards and pamphlets, you are left with unsettling questions to deal with. Ooh, back at Stephen’s too, you sense election fever in the air. The stage of the college hall is set for the Open court! The Student Union Society is electing its President! This year, 813 junior members cast their vote in the election for the college President. The voter turnout - at about 60% - was not very different from last year. Interestingly, the voter turnout in the Lok Sabha elections of 2019 stood at 67%. In the first elections of 1952, when literacy stood at 18%, the turnout was a whopping 55%. Voter turnout is a good indicator of people’s faith in the election system, interest in democratic practices, and a will to participate. It comes as a surprise that, at least in this case study, literacy has no impact on the voter turnout. If anything, the turnout of literate people is less than that of the turnout of a less educated general population. One can come up with several explanations for educated people ending up not voting: 1. Students, even though educated in science, math and languages, find phenomena like elections complex, and therefore stay at a distance; or 2. Students, even though literate, do not understand the value of public participation in democratic processes; or 3. Students, although literate and valuing participation, still choose not to vote because of a lack of faith in the election system or its outcomes. What we won’t attempt to do here is try to analyse which of these possible explanations hold more or less water. A fun task for you, the reader, could be to discuss among yourselves the possible reasons for the non-relation between education and turnout. Another noticeable pattern is the drop in the number of votes from the first year to third year. While the high vote share by first years is understandable since this is often their first serious voting out of school (before they go on to get their Voter ID cards), the fervour and enthusiasm in general reduces as one enters the second and subsequently the third year. Not to forget - 58 invalid votes! That is a surprisingly high number. We checked with the student volunteers who witnessed vote-counting, and we found that most of the invalid votes were deemed so because of silly errors - putting tick marks instead of preferences, writing preferences in a way that makes it ambiguous, etc. In the past, there have been instances wherein students used the ballot to register their protests in unique ways. Some write stuff, some write other names, and the like. While a NOTA option on the ballot would be one way to officially allow such a space to protest, the twin problems of a) students not showing up on the D-day, and b) students not knowing how to vote, leaves room for thought. We close this discussion where we began it: Do we not expect more from student politics? Shouldn’t educated voters behave differently? A bunch of educated youngsters are expected to do a much better job when it comes to elections of their own bodies. When there is a rise up on the literacy ladder, it seems contradictory to drop low on the ladder of electoral quality. Our observations so far show a picture which is not just inconsistent with this rationale, but rather the opposite. It is important to keep asking whether there are visible differences that mark a distinction between student elections and their real-world counterparts, and whether said paradox exists. When all is said and done, an institution and its systems are only as strong as the values of their practitioners. Democracy, more than an electoral system, is a system of values. Any institution crafted from democratic principles will hold strong as long as the spirit remains intact. That spirit may and may not come from the electorate’s education - which then becomes secondary. The spirit is more important. And that spirit draws from you, reader. What you believe. What you value. And what you uphold.