While the announcement was welcomed by several parties, members of the Raj Thackeray-led MNS opposed it, saying that college elections were not needed.
Reacting to concerns expressed by some members that the elections would lead to violence, the minister, replying to a calling attention notice, said the government would take all necessary steps to prevent violence.
Student elections in the state were banned in 1992-93, following malpractices, campus violence and death of a student from Mithibai College here.