Bhubaneswar: A total of 287 candidates will contest the upcoming student union elections across 13 universities in Odisha, according to the final list of candidates released by the Higher Education Department.

As many as 429 nomination papers were filed for the elections. During scrutiny, 49 nominations were rejected, leaving 380 candidates eligible to contest. However, 34 candidates withdrew their nominations during the withdrawal process, following which the final list was published.

The elections will allow students across the participating universities to elect their representatives. With the final list of candidates now announced, the election process is set to move forward.

The number of candidates in the fray stands at 287 across the 13 universities, marking the final stage of the nomination process ahead of polling.

Notably, the student union polls in colleges and universities across the state are scheduled to be held on October 15. The results will be declared on the same day.