Electoral Literacy Club

Electoral Literary

Preamble:

As a responsible institution of higher learning, H.P.T. Arts & R.Y.K. Science College, Nashik recognizes the significance of electoral literacy in shaping the future of our democracy. Electoral literacy is the foundation upon which informed citizenship is built, empowering individuals to exercise their right to vote and participate in the democratic process. By educating our students about the electoral process, we aim to foster a culture of civic engagement, critical thinking, and responsible decision-making. Through various initiatives and programs, we strive to equip our students with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the complexities of the electoral system, making them informed and active participants in the democratic process. By promoting electoral literacy, we envision a future where our students become catalysts of positive change, contributing to the growth of a vibrant and participatory democracy.

Electoral Literacy Club

With the aim of spreading electoral literacy, the college has established Electoral Literacy Club. It is a pioneering initiative aimed at empowering students with the knowledge and skills necessary to participate in the democratic process. The club’s activities are designed to be engaging, informative, and inclusive, catering to diverse interests and learning styles. By joining the Electoral Literacy Club, students become part of a vibrant community committed to shaping the future of democracy. The club’s impact extends beyond the campus, as members become ambassadors of electoral awareness, inspiring others to participate in the democratic process.

Vision:

The Electoral Literacy Club is dedicated to cultivating a robust culture of electoral participation among young and future voters, empowering them to become informed, engaged, and active citizens.

Objectives:

By fostering a culture of electoral awareness, the club seeks

to educate students about the importance of voting and the electoral system.
to gain a deeper understanding of the democratic process and its significance through interactive sessions, workshops, and debates, members
to provides a platform for students to engage with experts, politicians, and peers, promoting critical thinking and informed decision-making.
to increase voter turnout and political engagement among young people.
to participate in voter registration drives, mock elections, and community service projects, developing essential life skills and civic responsibility.

Nodal officer

Dr. Kailas Sanap, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Chemistry

Electoral Literacy Club

2023-2024

Composition
Minutes of Meeting

2024-2025

Composition
Minutes of Meeting

Activities

College Initiatives in advancing democratic values and participation in electoral processes, etc.

The College, since 2018, has undertaken following activities to create awareness among students as well as community.

Political Awareness Programme: The Department of Journalism and Mass Communication has been hosting Political Awareness Programmes since 2014. These programs are designed to offer valuable insights into the election process, code of conduct, campaign strategies, and result analysis. District administrative officers, political party spokespersons, journalists, and scholars are invited to engage with students during these events. The Political Awareness Programme is typically held prior to general, assembly, and corporation elections. In 2019, the programme took place from April 1st to 4th before the Loksabha Election, and from September 16th to 18th before the Maharashtra Assembly Elections. These events serve as a platform for students to gain a deeper understanding of the political landscape and the various aspects of the electoral process.
Lok Sabha Elections-2024: Awareness Exhibition: To create awareness among students about Loksabha Election- 2024, the ELC and Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication has organised ‘Poster Exhibition’ on 13 April 2024. Total 32 banners/posters, prepared by the students on the topics like Voters’ Registration Process, Model Code of Conduct, EVM & VVPAT handling, facilities at polling stations, elected representatives of Nashik and Malegaon constituencies since 1951, prime ministers of India, registered political parties in India. The exhibition was visited and appreciated by Dy. CEO of Nashik Zillha Parishad and leaders of political parties. During the inaugural function, the Dy. CEO of Nashik Zillha Parishad guided students about electoral mechanism and how to maintain transparency in that. Approximately 800 students from the College visited this exhibition.
Surveys by students: students from Journalism and Political Science departments are actively involved in conducting pre-poll surveys. Students of Journalism Dept. conducted survey of 700 citizens of Nashik in August 2019 before Maharashtra Assembly Election. In addition to this, students of the College have been participating in surveys related to election. Dinesh Bhagwat, Nitin Ahire, Yash Bagul and Sachin Pawar, students of Political Science Dept. participated in the electoral survey of 17^th Loksabha Elections conducted by CSDS, Delhi from 1 to 4 May 2019. Dinesh Bhagwat, Isham Deshpande and Sumit Gurli, students of Political Science Dept. participated in the survey conducted by CSDS, Delhi from 9 to 14 November 2020. Dept. of Political Science conducted a certificate course on ‘Survey Method’ in the AY 2019-2020.
Mandatory Papers in Syllabi: The paper ‘Democracy, Election and Governance’ for 2 credits is mandatory to all students of First Year BA/BSc. Another paper, ‘Introduction to Constitution’ of 2 credits is mandatory to all PG courses. Dept. of Political Science in the College has designed a special study material for these course as per the syllabi prescribed by the University. These papers are evaluated at internally by the college and by the university at the end of every semester.
Mock Parliament Event: Dept. of Political Science organised Mock Parliament college on 27 August 2022 and 19 March 2024 to demonstrate working of parliamentary procedures. Students across the college participated in this event. In stead of discussing readymade draft of bill, students prepared new drafts of bills on environment protection and pollution control. This activity is appreciated by citizens of Nashik as well. Central Cabinet minister Dr. Bharati Pawar was present on 27 August 2022 as the chief guest. In addition to this, students of Political Science Dept. won first prize for team in Mock Parliament conducted at BRD College and won individual prizes at Mock Parliament competition held at HV Desai College, Pune in 2019-2020
Coverage of Elections: Students of Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication actively participate in covering all types of elections through various media, including social media.
Interaction with villagers: Our staff and NSS volunteers interact with villagers of adopted villages by NSS during winter camps about significance of voting in elections.
Celebration of Constitutional Day and Voters’ Day: 26 November is celebrated every year as the Constitutional Day in the College. Lectures on Indian Constitution, Reading of Preamble and presentation of skits are some of the activities during this celebration. In the same manner, 25 January is celebrated as Voters’ Day. It is celebrated through screening of short films, Voters’ pledge and lectures.
Publications: Our faculty is continuously engaged in writing about issues related to democracy, elections and voting through research papers, newspaper articles and presentation. The following publications are important contribution in advancing democratic principles.

Dr. P. S. Deshapnde wrote ‘Journey of Local Politics of Nashik’ in Sakal-Vision 2030 Special Edition published in March 2023. He also delivered lecture on ‘Loksabha Elections and Good-governance’ in Ozar college on 7/09/2021, and on ‘Fearless voting for Robust Democracy’ at Naik college on 25/01/2019
Dr. A. R. Vasave wrote ‘Graph of 1999 Loksabha Elections with special reference to Maharashtra’ in Journey of Political Process in Maharashtra published in September 2022. His paper on ‘Preamble and Democracy’ was published in ‘Observation of Indian Democracy’ in January 2022. He delivered lecture on ‘Voters’ Awareness’ at VN Naik college on 25/01/2020
Dr. S. S. Ahire paper on ‘Loksabha Election in Maharashtra’ was published in Journey of Political Process in Maharashtra in September 2022. He was present as a judge for ‘Mock Parliament Competition’ at BRD College on 7/5/2022.
Mr. H. A. Khairnar delivered lectures on ‘Philosophy of Indian Constitutions’ and ‘Democracy in Digital Age’ during seminars in the academic year 2022-23.
Dr. G. D. Giri presented a paper on ‘Challenges before Indian Democracy’ on 25/04/2022

Study visits: College encourages students to undergo actual experience of learning about elections and democracy by conducting study visits. Dept. of Journalism arranged visit to Maharashtra Assembly on 21/03/2023 and Indian Parliament from 8 to13 February 2019. Dept. of Political Science arranged visit to Maharashtra Assembly on 13/02/2019.

Media Coverage