Culture, Safety, and Budgets: Can the Next MOCC Overcome Old Challenges?

Sri City: The Ministry of Campus and Culture (MOCC) elections saw candidates making sweeping promises about inclusivity, student safety, and large-scale event planning last night. But when pressed on logistics, budgeting, and constitutional authority, many struggled to provide concrete answers. While their speeches inspired visions of a vibrant student life, we at Leher ask: What powers does MOCC truly hold? How do these promises translate into action? And what happens when campaign rhetoric meets constitutional reality?

Manaswi: Tickets, Volunteers, and Authority – Where’s the Framework?

Manaswi (SIASUG23-27), the only second-year candidate, envisions campus life as an experience rather than an obligation. She aims to make events “bigger, bolder, and safer while ensuring everyone feels included.” To streamline event management, she proposes a ticket-based system.

“When you fill these forms, you’ll be getting a ticket, which the POCs will scan at entry,” she explained.

She also suggests granting MOCC representatives the authority to remove individuals from events if they make others uncomfortable.

“All three MOCC representatives would have to agree on the removal.”

But who defines "uncomfortable"? Is there an appeal process? Does MOCC even have the power to enforce this? Without a clear disciplinary framework, this proposal risks subjectivity and potential misuse.

When asked by Leher about volunteer inconsistency in student-run events, she proposes pre-event briefings to clarify roles. However, if volunteers are already failing to show up, there is no guarantee they will attend these briefings. A structured accountability mechanism remains absent.

Lavya: Cultural Celebration or Logistical Chaos?

Lavya (SIASUG24-28) proposes designating regional representatives to curate events, a dedicated POC for the akkas and improved first-aid access. 

When questioned about whether MOCC holds the power to establish a POC for the akkas given past administrative pushback, she responded:

“If I were to be elected, I would come up with a solution that would obviously, first and foremost be POCs”

She also suggests a Google Form for reporting broken appliances, but with a ticketing system already in place, what makes this different?

Her proposal to improve WiFi connectivity raises further doubts, as IT services fall outside MOCC’s jurisdiction and depend on budget constraints. Without administrative approval or secured funding, is this just an empty promise?

Finally, she advocates for large-scale IFMR collaborations despite historically low turnout. Her solution?

“We’ll conduct surveys to see what events students actually want.”

But will surveys lead to action? If turnout issues persist, what’s the backup plan?

Advika: Community Engagement Without a Clear Plan

Advika (SIASUG24-28)  kicked off her speech with humor, whether it landed or not is debatable. For someone who was unsure about how to give a speech, she delivered one with confidence. She framed her campaign around mental health, inclusivity, and inter-batch engagement, proposing large-scale events, psychological safety workshops, and collaborative icebreakers.

When asked how she would recruit, train, and manage volunteers for these events given past last-minute dropouts, her response was:

“Recruiting people would be my main goal when I’m elected. If we build a better community at Krea, I feel like we’ll be able to encourage more people to attend these events… I’d also send out surveys at the start of the year to understand what kind of events students actually want.”

Optimism is great, but where is the strategy? Simply hoping for participation isn’t a plan.

She was also asked about cutlery theft in dining halls. Her solution?

“Increasing the budget for dining services could be a solution… as well as encouraging people to not do the same.” Wondering how? We at Leher share the doubt. 

From missing forks to mental health, Advika’s vision is broad. Execution will depend on whether she can turn big ideas into concrete plans.

Bhaktipriya: Mental Health, Safety, and Undefined Jurisdiction

Bhaktipriya (SIASUG24-28) proposes a secure shelf system at the security office for students to collect deliveries safely. She also highlights the need for better accessibility to sanitary napkins, though logistical details remain unclear.

She suggests a cyber harassment redressal system: a Google Form for reporting incidents and a 24/7 student-run helpline for harassment and mental health emergencies. However, concerns arise over confidentiality laws and interference with existing university committees.

“We can set up an unmanned, voice-over-internet protocol system that maintains confidentiality. This isn’t about replacing structures but streamlining.”

Yet, an unmanned VoIP system could amplify risks rather than eliminate them. Legal conflicts, lack of real-time support, and crisis mismanagement remain major concerns.

Her animal welfare initiative also faced logistical hurdles. When asked if she had secured administrative support for storage and funding, she admitted:

“I haven’t yet, but I will follow up.”

Yuthika: The Experienced Candidate, But Can She Deliver?

Yuthika (SIASUG24-28), the current MOCC, came in with a clear understanding of what works, what doesn’t, and what she aims to improve. acknowledges past shortcomings and aims for improvement. Her proposals focus on event guidelines, resource management, food quality, and cultural engagement.

Her key proposals focus on implementing event guidelines, focusing on resource management and food quality while enhancing cultural engagement and inter-school collaboration

Leher questioned her plan to hold regular awareness sessions on gender, caste, bullying, and sensitivity, given that past sessions had low attendance and were often seen as repetitive. Her response?

“We can’t conduct all these sessions at once as they’re sensitive topics that require dedicated time. Instead, I plan to survey students on which workshops they’d actually attend and incorporate their suggestions. While this may not guarantee turnout, it will at least ensure that student interest is acknowledged and factored into planning.”

This approach acknowledges the issue, but what if surveys show a lack of interest? 

With her prior experience and structured proposals, Yuthika aims to refine MOCC’s work. Whether her second term will be smoother than the first is a question only time and the student body can answer.

Krithvi: Constitutional Amendments and Representation Risks

Krithvi (SIASUG24-28), a former MOCC, proposed amending the student constitution to give campus affairs equal importance to cultural events. She also emphasized food waste composting and using it to increase on-campus cultivation.

When asked what she would do differently this time around, she emphasized formal recognition for inclusivity efforts, particularly for campus workers and underrepresented cultures. However, her approach to minority cultural representation is less about large-scale events and more about acknowledgment, even if that means just an email.

When Leher questioned her proposal to assist FA students with English proficiency, pointing out privacy concerns—many FA students may not want their struggles publicly highlighted. Her response?

“I was thinking of a system where professors would be informed.” 

This acknowledges the issue, but it raises a larger ethical question: How do you improve accessibility without compromising confidentiality?

Bhadra: Sustainability, Culture, and Unconstitutional Changes?

Bhadra (SIASUG24-28) proposed a three-tiered workshop model, increasing POSH volunteers through frequent recruitment drives, and mandatory event briefings. She also promised sustainability initiatives, and town halls with IFMR and BBA students to improve cross-school collaboration.

Her manifesto included a strong emphasis on cultural representation, proposing monthly cultural exchange sessions and meals specific to underrepresented cuisines. However, when questioned on the logistical feasibility of introducing culture-specific meals twice a month she admitted she had yet to address budgeting and wastage concerns.

She also called for greater sustainability at campus events, particularly by collaborating with the art club to replace disposable decorations with reusable materials.

Her most ambitious structural change was a call for permanent event subcommittees, replacing temporary ad hoc committees. But with the current constitution providing no such provision, how does she plan to get this structural change approved? Her answer: “A minor constitutional amendment based on the belief that a permanent structure would be more efficient and experienced”. 

But is this realistic within a single MOCC term? Would SG approve such a structural shift?

Conclusion: Ideal vs. Real

The speeches echoed promises of inclusivity, safety, and cultural diversity. But are these not already enshrined in Krea’s constitution?

A fundamental challenge remains the ongoing budget dispute between MOF and MOCC. Adya, running for MOF, stated, “A big part of campus life is the incredible events that MOCC organizes, and since they don’t have a fixed budget, financial planning is key.” and then went on to elaborate on cost-cutting mechanisms. Yet many MOCC candidates insist that increased funding is necessary. Without a transparent financial plan, how will ambition balance with feasibility?

Moreover, reliance on Google Forms as a catch-all solution raises concerns—does data collection truly enhance accountability?

SIAS-IFMR collaboration remains another vague promise. If Abhyudaya, with core committees, couldn’t bridge the gap, what would?

At its core, these elections highlight the gap between vision and execution. Grand proposals are easy to make, but the true test of leadership lies in navigating constitutional limits, logistical barriers, and student engagement in ways that create lasting impact. Will this year’s MOCC deliver on its commitments, or will it, like many before, be bound by the same constraints? We can’t wait to see what the other three positions have in store. Tune back in tomorrow for updates by Leher.  Written by: Aarushi Sahajwani