Most of the students heading to Bal Niketan Secondary School in Chandranigahapur of Rautahat district on Thursday morning were in for a surprise. There were polling booths and fences set up, enveloping the school in an atmosphere akin to that of an election day.

After a while, the teachers came out and announced that this was indeed an election but one that would elect the school’s captains and vice-captains. The list of candidates was published and the students were asked to cast their votes for their candidate. The candidates were selected from grades 8-10 while students from grade 5-10—245 of them—took part in the election process.

This was the first time a school in the district organised such an election. The initiative was an effort to educate their students about the election process, informed school Principal Brij Kishor Chaurasiya. The school administration had even named the parties and had followed due procedures to register the party including filing of nominations.

“This was a new experience for us,” said Binu Darlami, who had stood and won the post of school captain. “Through this practical election we got to learn about the election process, filing of candidacy and also how to cast our vote.”