Student health cover, fee rollback, inclusive campuses top DUSU manifestos

Polling for the DUSU elections will take place on September 18, with counting and results scheduled for the next day

Ahead of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections on September 18, the three major student groups—Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the Students’ Federation of India–All India Students’ Association (SFI-AISA) alliance, and the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI)—released their manifestos on Saturday.

During campaigning at the Delhi University North Campus on Friday. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

The ABVP said its manifesto was drafted after receiving more than 5,000 suggestions from students through various platforms. It promises action on education, security, health, sports, and employment. Key proposals include subsidised health insurance for students; larger budgets for registered academic, social, and cultural societies; adequate sports equipment and nutrition for student athletes; and accessibility audits to make campuses more inclusive for students with disabilities.

ABVP presidential candidate Aryan Maan said, “ABVP’s capable leadership has always been trusted by students of Delhi University. This year, we are determined to ensure adequate sports facilities and nutrition, campus accessibility audits for specially abled students, and free Wi-Fi across DU. With these initiatives, we aim to establish Delhi University as a premier global institution.” The manifesto also pledges to push for better research facilities and student funds for final-year scholars.

The SFI-AISA alliance described its platform as “truly student-centric,” pledging to oppose fee hikes, establish elected internal complaints committees and gender sensitisation cells in all colleges, and revise the internal assessment scheme. It criticised the National Education Policy (NEP) and the Fourth Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP), saying core course credits had been replaced with “bogus” skill and value-added courses such as yoga, FitIndia, and Swachh Bharat activities. The alliance promised to scrap these courses, restore core credits, reinstate DU entrance exams, add women’s colleges to DUSU, and ensure menstrual leave for women students.

The NSUI manifesto focuses on affordable, accessible education and inclusive campus infrastructure. Its proposals include barrier-free campuses for differently abled and women students, a ₹5,000 monthly allowance for students with disabilities, representation of disabled students on committees, and support cells for North-Eastern and linguistic minority students. NSUI also pledged to reject the NEP, demand public funding for equitable education, fight for student rights, ensure fair examinations, and promote green, sustainable campuses.

NSUI additionally released a women’s manifesto focused on campus safety, health, and gender representation. It calls for helpline numbers, menstrual health awareness, sanitary pad vending machines, and proper gender sensitivity measures.

Polling for the DUSU elections will take place on September 18, with counting and results scheduled for the next day.