Unabashed display of firearms, firing in the air, long row of luxury vehicles with red beacon lights and slogan-shouting supporters jamming streets have become the order of the day in Uttar Pradesh's student politics.

A proof of this was available when nomination papers were filed for elections to the Lucknow University students union and other affiliated colleges.

As student leaders with gun-totting supporters in tow roamed the university and college campuses in government vehicles, panic-stricken teachers preferred to remain locked in their rooms.

Rival groups of students clashed at several places resulting in injuries to several of them and police had to disperse the warring students.

Senior Superintendent of Police Ashutosh Pandey said vehicles will be checked regularly at the gates of colleges.

He said the police confiscated many weapons from students.

Lamenting the current state of affairs of student politics, the teaching community sought to put the blame on the administration and the desire among the students to get noticed by the powers that be.

Witty speeches, intelligent caricatures and informed debates on real issues have now been replaced by display of money and muscle power, they say.

Meritorious and serious students have kept away from union elections, leaving the field open for those who rely on muscle and money power.

A very tiny percentage of students actually turn up to exercise their franchise at these elections.

"The average polling percentage at Lucknow University has been around a meagre 20 per cent," says in-charge of public relations at the University Dinesh Kumar.

Recalling the union elections in old times, Kumar said only visiting cards were used as campaign materials besides debates on issues affecting the students.

"The classes were never disrupted. The students would cast their ballot and come back to attend their classes," he said.

"The scenario has undergone a complete metamorphosis now. From the day of nominations till the declaration of results there are hardly any classes," Kumar said.

Groups of student leaders vying for various posts now roam the campus along with their supporters shouting slogans and drawing students out of the classes, he said.

Kumar, who was also associated with the process of scrutiny of nomination papers, attributes the change to the attitude of political parties, which use students to campaign in their favour during Lok Sabha and assembly elections.

Asked about the display of firearms and firing in the air during the nomination on Thursday last, he said the people doing so were not bona fide university students.

"A close look at their faces will clearly reveal that they were outsiders and not university students," he said.