Change seems to be in the air at Baldwin Women's Methodist College. For the last six years, the college faculty has steered clear of any elective representation at the level of the student council — but this year, the students have been allowed to have a taste of democracy.
The various council posts were filled via a neat combination of election and selection. While the faculty nominated a few candidates who they felt were best suited for each seat, the final say in the matter was left to the college's student body.
Each selected candidate was given a single day of campaigning, after which the students cast their votes — and what a day it was.
The campus was rife with colour and tangible excitement, as the candidates experimented with the art of campaigning.
Given that this process was taking place after a hiatus of many years, the newness of the experience was exhilarating for many.
Students — both interested voters as well as avid campaigners, who triumphantly flanked their chosen candidates — thronged around the college grounds and did their best to stand out.
A host of witty posters and colourful banners were strewn across the campus and the inevitable noise factor — the banging of makeshift drums — incited a great deal of excitement on the campus.
Archana Sarah Linson and Nikita E Manvani, third-year BCom and BBM students respectively, went neck-to-neck to battle it out for the post of president. Each girl had a strong support group and had to muster all their abilities to outdo the other.
Nikita says, "We were all shocked to find out that campaigning was going to be happening this year. My opponent's group came out with drums, so my own supporters took plates and vessels from the college canteen and have been beating them about campus — which caught quite a bit of attention!
I've been in the student body for the last three years, and have been assuring all my peers that I will be the best choice."
The post of vice president was contested for by both Shifa Konain as well as Suzanne Sonali Edwin — both second-year PUCstudents — while Martina Percy and Shruti Gopinath, third-year BCom students, fought it out for the post of secretary.
Shifa excitedly says, "The campaigning has been good. My whole class has got together and put up posters and colourful charts, which were all made by us. My agenda is very simple: I'm responsible, and capable of taking the college to a higher standard."