Chennai, June 29 (IANS) In a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at introducing schoolchildren to the fundamentals of democracy and participatory governance, government schools across Tamil Nadu will conduct student elections next month as part of the state’s ‘Magizh Mutram’ programme.

The School Education Department has integrated the student parliament initiative into the existing programme from the current academic year, enabling students to experience the electoral process through campaigns, manifestos, voting and the formation of a student cabinet.

The initiative comes at a time when concerns have been raised over the limited exposure of young people to democratic institutions and electoral practices.

Officials believe the exercise will help students understand the importance of elections, leadership, accountability and collective decision-making from an early age.

Under the programme, every government school will continue to have five student houses — Kurinji, Mullai, Marutham, Neithal and Palai. Each house will have a House Captain and a Student Minister. While House Captains will be selected either through a draw of lots or by a show of hands, Student Ministers will be elected through a formal voting process.

The selection of House Captains is scheduled to be completed by July 3. Candidates contesting for the post of Student Minister will campaign on July 6, presenting election manifestos detailing the activities and initiatives they plan to undertake if elected.

Eligibility to contest has been restricted to students of Class 5 in primary schools, Class 8 in middle schools, Class 9 in high schools and Class 11 in higher secondary schools.

Polling will be held on July 7, with students from all classes casting separate ballots to elect one Student Minister for each of the five houses.

The elected representatives will eventually head five key portfolios — Education, Student Welfare and Safety, Information and Communication, Environment and Climate Action, and Health, Hygiene and Sanitation.

These ministries will be allotted through a draw of lots among the five elected Student Ministers.

To ensure gender representation, co-educational schools have been directed to appoint House Captains and Student Ministers of opposite genders within each house. If a House Captain is a boy, the corresponding Student Minister must be a girl, and vice versa.

The newly elected student leaders will take their oath of office on July 10. Each house will also have its own flag, badges for House Captains and Student Ministers, a scoreboard to track points earned in competitions and school activities, and a designated teacher coordinator to guide and monitor the functioning of the student parliament.

–IANS

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