The auditorium, which generally remains crowded during any other students’ function, was attended by close to 300 of the total 1800 students enrolled in the university.

Unnerved by the tepid response from the students’ community for the council, which has been envisaged as an alternative to the disbanded BHU Students Union by the authorities, Vice Chancellor (VC) Panjab Singh said, “The council will certainly be a role model for other universities,” and added that it symbolised “true student participation in the functioning of the central university.”

The university that holds the distinction of being Asia’s biggest residential university had to scrap its elected Students Union in 1997, after there were incidents of violence during the poll campaigning.

“The council is an appropriate alternative to the Students Union which was detrimental to the entire university. The earlier arrangement (the elected students union) only benefited a select few, but this council will work for the welfare of all the students,” Singh said. The new council, whose patron is the Vice Chancellor of the University, was formed in October last year. The Tuesday’s inaugural function was also the first formal interaction between the VC and the office bearers of the council that includes 17 students’ representatives.

The Dean of Students, V K Kumra, who is also the Vice Chairman of the new council said, “The Student Council will gradually become a hit with the students.”

However, he felt short of words when asked about the thin presence of students during the function.

An elaborate security arrangement was in place at the venue, which is normally not seen during any such students’ function here. Students had to undergo a three-tier screening process by 80 personnel of the university security staff before being allowed to enter the auditorium.

A hand-held metal detector was also used in the campus, perhaps for the first time in the history of the university.