The Ashoka University Student Government (AUSG) organised the inaugural “Meet the Minister's” event on 9th September 2024. This event was held to inform the student body at Ashoka of the functions of the various ministries that work with the AUSG. Attendance at the event was notably low, with just three students present. Regardless, all the ministers presented their goals for their respective ministries, elaborating on how they intend to help the student body.
Samarth Jain (UG '24), Vice President of the AUSG, expressed his disappointment over the low turnout but was “glad [we] did this event in the beginning of the semester.” Reiterating the SG’s plans for the year, he said that they now “know what to prioritise and focus on” and what needs to be taken care of “more.” To keep this going, they aim to implement the SG public ticketing system which can be used to raise any concerns with regards to student life. The ministries, as detailed by the SG at the event, function as follows. Samarth confirmed to The Edict that the system should be implemented very soon. The exact dates of the same are unclear.
Jazbaa: The Cultural Ministry
The Cultural Ministry, Jazbaa, is responsible for organising various campus events for the student body, along with any collaborations between clubs and societies within Ashoka. Saransh Goel (UG’25), Cultural Minister, spoke about increasing the engagement of clubs with the student body. Jazbaa, he said, “has re-introduced the clubs and societies collective this year, in order to bolster the reach of all clubs and societies.” There are seven departments within the ministry, including new additions like the Student Inclusivity and Accessibility Department and the Intercollegiate Department. The ministry also aims to promote Ashoka's participation in intercollegiate events across universities in India.
Ministry of Community Well Being (MCWB)
The MCWB has to do with fostering well being in Ashoka. Padmasritha Morusupalli (UG’25), the minister of wellbeing, informed students that their main focus this year is “is to create a safe and secure place on campus for the student body.” In order to achieve this, the ministry works closely with the AUSG as well as the Ashoka Centre for Well-Being (ACWB) and the infirmary. They aim to raise more awareness about the importance of mental and physical well being on campus.They also wish to initiate events like sharing circles on a regular basis. There are five departments (Events, Workshops, Social Media and Marketing, Infirmary and Sexual Wellbeing, Research and Data Collection) within the ministry, each dedicated to specific aspects of community well-being within Ashoka. Concerns about infirmary operations, and information about medical facilities available on campus are also addressed by the MCWB.
Ministry of Academic Affairs (MAA)
This Ministry aims to create awareness about policies put in place by the Office of Academic Affairs (OAA). These include academic policies essential for graduation – “these are often present in the fine print, and are missed by the student body” mentioned Sania Bhargava (UG’25), the minister. They also work to ensure that academic resources such as student handbooks for each department are readily available to students. The MAA works with three departments focused on collaborations, events, policies, resources and community outreach. The ministry’s main agenda, according to Sania, “is to enhance accountability and transparency between the student body and the OAA.”
Ministry of Technology
The Ministry of Technology aims to “streamline daily student needs through independent digital solutions like the Semester Planner, the CGPA calculator and the Cab Pool among many other tools.” “Along with [this], the Ministry also aims to act as an advocate in the technology mandate beyond its resources” said the minister, Ibrahim Khalil (UG '25). These solutions have been initiated over the summer break, before the beginning of the fall semester. They have been in use by the student body. The ministry has six departments—Events and collaborations, Projects and Hackathons, Finance and Admin, PR and Beta Testing, HR and Internships. Among these, the Beta Testing and PR department focus on ensuring that all features on student platforms are inclusive and accessible to the student body.
Environment Ministry
The Environment Ministry focuses on inculcating and integrating sustainable habits while also mitigating unsustainable behaviours on campus. In the past, it has organised a range of events – from thrift stores and garage sales to menstrual cup giveaways. Arushi Malhotra (UG '2023), the environment minister, speaks of ongoing projects with the administration, “such as campus-wide waste segregation and disposable waste management.” The ministry comprises six internal departments that collaborate to promote sustainable living.
Sports Ministry
The Sports Ministry aims to foster a vibrant sports culture within Ashoka. It is in-charge of managing the sports facilities on campus; helping student athletes navigate various sport policies. The ministry has five departments, with a special department that focuses specifically on financial aid for student athletes. Aryamaan Girish (UG’25), Sports Minister, brought up “the primary focus this year, [is] to bridge the gap between the student body and the sports administrative department with respect to timely communication about all relevant proceedings.”
Campus Life Ministry (CLM)
The CLM, according to Urja Hansraj (UG'24), Minister, is dedicated towards providing transparency regarding administrative decisions on campus life. The ministry consists of four departments — residence life, dining, policy and transport — which focus on combating campus related issues in real time. The policy department conducts infrastructure surveys and tackles those issues by informing the relevant parties. They also focus on simplifying residence life policies for the students. Meanwhile, the transport department deals with transit to and from Ashoka, including shuttle services, and the marketing department focuses on outreach. The ministry, in implementing a ‘CLM Tracker’, aims to allow the student body to access all minutes, activities and descriptions of their meetings.
The ‘Meet the Ministers’ event set the tone for the SG’s activities in the upcoming academic year. The goals spoken of on Monday provide the framework to later assess their accountability.
Cartoon illustrated by Anandi Gupta.
(Edited by Fatema Tambawalla and Madhumitha G.I.)
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