PUCSC elections: Parties turn to QR codes, Google forms to reach out to students
Besides student wings of political parties, student parties are putting up QR codes in the departments and hostels of Panjab University, Chandigarh, to campaign for PUCSC elections
With another long weekend keeping the campaigning for Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) elections lowkey, parties are turning to social media and reaching out to students through QR codes and Google forms as most hostellers have gone home for the holidays.
The initiative was started by Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) around a month back. As per CYSS Chandigarh president Sanjeev Chaudhary, the party has received over a 1,000 responses this time. “We had put up posters with QR codes in all hostels and departments and sought students’ opinion regarding the issues they are facing that we should take up in our manifesto,” Chaudhary said.
Earlier, a long weekend occurred because of Rakhsha Bandhan, while this time it is occurring due to Janmashtami. Chaudhary said the initiative is a great way of reaching out to students. “While all parties have been using social media for a while, reaching out to students through these QR codes is a more effective way. Students feel more connected to us as a party.” Most responses are from first years who usually report hostel allotment and cleanliness issues in their hostels and departments.
Some parties are meanwhile using QR codes to get more students to join them. This is the second year that National Students Union of India (NSUI) will be turning to this tech as per NSUI Chandigarh president Sikander Boora. He said, “Last year, we got a great response as we had used Google forms to ask students about their issues. This time, we are also using these codes to get students to associate with NSUI.” NSUI also has a number where students can give a missed call and the party calls them back.
Besides student wings of political parties, student parties are taking part in this initiative.While the Students Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU) has been active on social media during the previous years, this year the party has gone for the QR code way as well. Its QR code takes the user to a Google form for sharing their issues with the party.
SOPU president Balraj Singh Sidhu said, “It is useful to get in touch with the students. It is not just about them sharing their issues with us, as we also get in touch with the students through this. It is important to have a few students in each department to raise their voice.” Sidhu added that just social media is not enough, as it is the first step to getting students involved in student politics, something which he feels was missing in the previous years.
ABVP takes to memes to woo voters
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) is setting the tone when it comes to posting memes and humorous content on social media. The party has listed out points of their manifesto in the latest post, mentioning the things it promises to provide PU students before the popular game GTA 6 is released next year. Taking a shot at former PUCSC president Jatinder Singh, the party has also asked in Kaun Banega Crorepati style how to ‘waste’ one year as PUCSC president.
Speaking about this, former PU ABVP president and now special invitee member Rajat Puri said, “Humour is something that appeals to a lot of students. Since they carry it with them longer and even share it with their friends, it is beneficial for social media.”
It is not all just memes, as the party is also discussing serious issues faced by students in PU. Anyone who wants to read the detailed ABVP manifesto can do so from a QR code shared by the members. The party further plans to expand QR code usage with a ‘know your candidates’ initiative once it declares their names for the PUCSC elections.