New Delhi: The All India Students Association (AISA) has officially launched its manifesto for the Delhi University Student Union (DUSU) election 2023.
The manifesto addresses critical issues affecting specialised, quality, and accessible education through the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP).
It also highlights concerns related to the diminishing safety, autonomy, and democracy of women and gender minorities, the urgent need for affordable hostels and quality housing, escalating metro fares, and challenges faced by local students.
During the press conference, Aiyesha Ahmad Khan, the AISA presidential candidate for DUSU, emphasised the hardships faced by DU students due to FYUP.
She pointed out that FYUP has led to fee hikes, the dilution of core courses, and increased academic pressure. Aiyesha stated, “This election serves as a referendum against FYUP, and we urge students to turn out in large numbers to vote against it.”
Anushka Chaudhary, a first-year law faculty student running for the vice-president position, expressed concerns about the affordability of DU education for middle-class and lower-middle-class students. She highlighted that FYUP and arbitrary fee hikes are keeping deserving students out of DU.
Aditya Singh, a candidate for the secretary position, raised issues of inclusivity for students from marginalised communities and women. He noted that the combination of CUET-NEP-FYUP has made it challenging for Dalit, Bahujan, Adivasi, and Muslim students to secure admission in DU.
Aditya also condemned the involvement of money and muscle power in DUSU elections and criticized the Delhi Police for not taking action against perpetrators of violence.
Anjali Kumari, a first-year student from Miranda House running for joint secretary, stressed the importance of safe DU campuses.
She expressed concerns about the increasing attacks against women in various colleges and called for the reinstatement of a strong and fully functional GSCASH (Gender Sensitization Committee Against Sexual Harassment).