Youths seek accountability

Young Pune voters demand safer campuses, better civic services and stronger education systems ahead of PMC polls

- Ankit Shukla

With the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections nearing, voices from the city's student community and firsttime voters are growing louder.

They have shared their views, demands and frustrations, raising concerns about safety, education, housing, transport and basic civic infrastructure. Long known as the "Oxford of the East", Pune's identity as an educational hub is now under scrutiny amid rising crime and governance challenges. Students from across Maharashtra and abroad come to Pune for education. However, increasing criminal incidents are negatively affecting the city's academic atmosphere, said competitive exam aspirant Nitin Andhale.