The Banaras Hindu University Students' Union generally abbreviated as "BHU Students' Union or BHUSU", is Students' union of Banaras Hindu University. The Students' Union is responsible for representing students, both within the University and externally for all academic, non-academic and student welfare purposes.
History
Banaras Hindu University Students' Union was established in the early 20th century. In its entire existence, the Students' Union has been suspended and banned several times. Its structure has also been changed from Students' union to Students' council and vice versa. The Students' Union in the Banaras Hindu University has a precedence of violence, strikes, lockdowns, expulsions, rioting and deaths.Education Administration and the Law. / ">
1958–1966
In 1958, The Banaras Hindu University witnessed a students' strike. This resulted in banning the Students' Union for a period of eight years; from 1958 to 1966.
Early 1990s
In the early 1990s, when professor R. P. Rastogi was the Vice-Chancellor of the Banaras Hindu University, a student strike took place which resulted in banning of the Students' Union.
1997–2010
The student union was banned abruptly when large-scale violence paralysed the university campus on 20 February 1997. A student was killed during a blatant display of firearms while an election rally was underway at the amphitheatre ground. The then Vice-Chancellor of the University Dr. Y.C. Simhadri ordered an indefinite ban on union elections within the campus, and rightly so. To this date, an ordinary student at the university associates the student union with utter lawlessness and pompous display of power which serves no apparent purpose. An inquiry committee indicted the University and district administration for the death of the two students. The VC ordered the teachers to sign the class register everyday because some were working elsewhere. He expelled more than 50 students on criminal charges.
2011
In 2011, the Students' Union was replaced by a "Students' council". Vikas Singh was elected as First General Secretary of BHU Students Council. He was removed on 7 April 2012 from his post for allegedly giving false information in his affidavit during university elections. On 30 April 2012 university reinstated Vikas Singh as the Students Council General Secretary following an order by the Allahabad High Court. Unlike the Students' Union where the president was elected directly, in the Students' Council, every class elected its representative and the elected representatives in-turn elected the General Secretary.
2012–2016
In Aug 2013, the Students' Council was disbanded and the University administration; based on the directions of Supreme Court of India decided to re-introduce the "Students' Union". In Oct 2014, some students went on hunger strike, demanding student union elections. Instead of union election council election dates were subsequently announced on 11 November 2014 and the process was due to be completed by 30 November 2014. However, the elections had to be cancelled and the Students' Council had to be kept on hold due to violence, arson and clashes between students and police. Elections were not held in 2015 and 2016, following ban introduced in 2014.
