Thu, 28 Mar, 2024

Engagement of Students in Politics is Vital

By Giriraj Khatri

We’ve heard it all before: the students of today especially from private educational institutions are not interested and engaged in politics. The recently held students' union election of Tribhuwan University gives more limelight to my statement as the majority of students from private institutions did not have any idea about the election. Let us forget this as it has already concluded but how about the local polls that are going to be held on May 14 after 20 years. Many students are yet ignorant about this. Who is to be blamed? With a scene of MP’s vandalizing, yawning and sleeping, throwing shoes and slippers in the house of parliament; it seems that it is politicians gathering at Birendra International Conference Centre (BICC) every day who should take charge from this. Raised in the strict and disciplined environment, the moral values between the students and people engaged in politics seems to be gigantic. Moreover, the politicians engaged in corruption, not keeping their words and people with criminal activities coming into politics discourages students from being engaged in politics. Along with discouragement, it also sends a message that everyone says, “Politics is a dirty game.” But students shouldn’t peel off from politics as it affects their day to day life. Every bill passed, every major decision that government makes and amendment from the parliament affects the life of a student directly or indirectly. In a country like Nepal, where many of its citizens struggle to read and write, students are vital forces to act as a watchdog to the government and take measure to rectify them in the case of mistakes made. We have read many times that youths are the pillar of the nation and in our context, most students are today’s youth. If students are not involved in politics then it’s a rare chance that we see our country as a developed country in near future. The country where the government is full of messy and unqualified people, we cannot have hope for the prosperity of the country. For the development of the country, we should have students in national level politics. For this, the university should start a constructive engagement with politics, make them rooted into the community activities and more importantly change courses to reflect the 21st century. It may be already too late to complain about the politicians. Instead, forming the good relationship with them will help students to live a better life.