Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
The Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections this year are set to be a closely watched contest, with student organisations such as the RSS-affiliated ABVP and Congress-affiliated NSUI preparing to woo a new generation of voters.
The elections are scheduled for September 18, with counting set to take place on September 19, according to the university administration. With about a month to go, both major student organisations have stepped up their outreach programmes and begun the process of selecting candidates.
advertisement
The DUSU elections will also be viewed as a test of student sentiment following a series of high-profile youth and student protests, including the Gen Z-led protest at Jantar Mantar over the NEET-UG paper leak. With students from across India studying at one of North India’s largest universities, the campus is often seen as a barometer of wider youth sentiment.
ABVP DOMINATES PRESIDENTIAL POLLS
The ABVP has maintained a strong hold over the DUSU president’s post over the past decade. It has won the position eight times in the last 10 years, while the NSUI has secured it twice.
This year’s contest is expected to revolve around campus-specific concerns as well as broader political issues.
The NSUI is preparing to campaign on issues including alleged police action against students during the CJP Parliament march, the four-year undergraduate programme, campus infrastructure and the recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff.
Speaking to India Today and Aaj Tak, NSUI Delhi in-charge Akhilesh Yadav said the four-year undergraduate programme would be one of the organisation’s key campaign issues.
Yadav claimed that the programme has not received adequate student support, with only around 30 per cent of students from the first batch opting to continue into the fourth year.
“Students have been made lab rats under the NEP,” Yadav alleged, referring to the National Education Policy.
He further claimed that the four-year programme had faced challenges at Delhi University as well as the University of Hyderabad. Yadav also alleged that DU was considering shifting some fourth-year classes from individual colleges to cluster-based classes to reduce infrastructure and operational costs.
The NSUI leader also raised concerns over infrastructure and alleged irregularities in staff recruitment. He claimed that Delhi University had previously attracted students from neighbouring countries, the Middle East and parts of Europe, but that numbers had declined amid rising fees and infrastructure-related concerns.
Yadav also alleged that what he described as the “saffronisation” of the campus had affected academic standards.
NSUI USES PARLIAMENT MARCH AS CAMPAIGN ISSUE
The NSUI has also collected shoes and slippers allegedly belonging to students who participated in the Parliament march. The organisation plans to use them in its campus outreach to highlight what it describes as police excesses against students and underline its role in representing young protesters.
The issue could become an important part of the NSUI’s campaign as it seeks to position itself as a political voice for Gen Z students.
ABP BANKS ON CAMPUS WORK
The incumbent ABVP, which currently holds three positions in the student body, is focusing on direct engagement with students.
Sarthak Sharma, state secretary of the ABVP, said the organisation has begun outreach programmes to gather feedback from students on issues they want addressed on campus and incorporate them into its election manifesto.
The ABVP is expected to highlight its work on postgraduate seats, women’s safety, admissions assistance, sports, hostels and campus connectivity.
Among the initiatives it is highlighting are pink booths for women, an ABVP help cell for admission-related issues, the Khelo DU programme to promote sports, hostel facilities on both North and South Campus, and free Wi-Fi services across DU, according to Sharma.
Sharma also cited measures related to women’s safety, saying around 200 CCTV cameras had been installed and work had been undertaken to address “dark spots” on campus.
Asked about the possible impact of the CJP protest on campus politics, Sharma said the DUSU election results would be a response to what he described as “anti-social and anti-national elements” attempting to influence student protests.
DUSU POLLS TO TEST YOUTH SENTIMENT
The 2026 DUSU elections are likely to go beyond the conventional contest between the two major student organisations. The campaign will unfold amid debates over education policy, campus infrastructure, student welfare, political representation and the role of student groups in wider protests.
For the ABVP and NSUI, the central challenge will be to connect their political narratives with the everyday concerns of students.
The outcome could offer an indication of where politically active young voters at one of India’s largest universities stand amid student protests and growing Gen Z political mobilisation.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
