Pune: In a significant move towards fostering electoral literacy among students, the Higher and Technical Education Department of the Maharashtra government has directed all colleges in the state to formulate plans for creating awareness about voting. The directive, issued on January 25, comes as part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Election Commission of India and the Ministry of Education.
The MoU focuses on extending the Election Commission of India’s flagship initiative, Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP), to schools and colleges. Under the directive, all colleges in the state are required to develop methods to enhance awareness about general and assembly elections, voting procedures, and registration. Institutions have also been tasked with creating an institutional framework for online voter registration during the annual review.
A government resolution (GR) issued by the education department directs all non-agricultural universities and affiliated colleges to familiarize prospective voters with the country’s electoral system. The plans proposed by these educational institutions are expected to encompass structured curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities aimed at preparing prospective voters for active participation in elections.
Shailendra Deolankar, the in-charge director of higher education, emphasized the importance of capturing young minds and educating them about the significance of their vote. He stated, “It is crucial to capture the young minds and educate them about the significance of their vote.”
The MoU also addresses issues such as apathy among urban and young voters, considering it a crucial aspect of ‘Continuous Electoral and Democracy Education.’ The integration seeks to motivate future voters to participate more actively in elections, fostering responsible citizenship and reinforcing the democratic system with informed and dutiful citizens of the country.
