National Students' Union of India explained

Type:Student wing
Status:Active
Headquarters:5, Raisina Road, New Delhi
Free:NSUI
Free Label:Acronym
Membership:5.5 million
Leader Title:Chairperson
Leader Name:Mallikarjun Kharge
Leader Title2:President
Leader Name2:Varun Choudhary[1]
Leader Title3:AICC Incharge
Leader Name3:Kanhaiya Kumar[2]
Leader Title4:National Media Chairman
Leader Name4:Ravi Pandey [3]
National Students' Union of India
Website:https://nsui.org/

The National Students' Union of India (NSUI) is the student wing of the Indian National Congress (INC or Congress). It was established on 9 April 1971, founded by Indira Gandhi after merging the Kerala Students Union and the West Bengal State Chhatra Parishad to form a national students' organisation. Varun Choudhary is current National President of NSUI.[4] [5]

Membership

In order to become a member of NSUI, one must be under 27 years of age, must be a student, must be a citizen of India, must not be part of any other political organization and must not have been convicted of any criminal activity in past.[6] NSUI categorizes its members into "Primary Members" and "Active Members". One can become member by filling online membership form.[7]

Campaigns

Hum Badlenge Campaign

The "Hum Badlenge" Campaign[8] by NSUI was launched in November 2024 under which organization has invited passionate students to become Campus Ambassadors for their universities. Students can apply online through Hum Badlenge website and this nationwide initiative aims to identify ambassadors in 250+ universities across India.

As part of the campaign,[9] ambassadors will:

This program is designed for students who are committed to social justice, secularism, gender equality, and the Nehruvian-Gandhian legacy.

'Burn the chaddi' campaign

In June 2022 during the Karnataka textbook controversy the Congress students' wing NSUI (National Students Union of India) protested against the saffronisation of school textbooks. As a symbolic protest they burnt an underwear outside the Home of Education Minister BC Nagesh. They set fire to a pair of khaki shorts similar to the short in the uniform of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) members.

The BJP complained to the police accusing the NSUI activists of trying to burn the minister's house down. Siddaramaiah said, "During a protest, we symbolically burnt one underwear - just one underwear. But the police and government made it a big issue and said we are trying to burn the house... So let's start a chaddi-burning campaign,". The Congress launched a "burn-the-chaddi" campaign and Siddaramaiah announced that, as a sign of protest against RSS ‘chaddis’ would be burnt.[10]

Achievements

Victory in Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) Elections:[11] NSUI won prestigious DUSU elections in 2024.[12] Ronak Khatri was elected as the President[13] and Lokesh Choudhary was elected as the Joint Secretary.[14]

Movements Led by NSUI: NSUI has consistently been at the forefront of student movements,[15] addressing critical issues, including:

  1. Paper Leak, Examination Irregularities and Scams[16] : Exposing scams like paper leaks in NEET,[17] UGC NET,[18] UPPCS RO/ARO, UP Police recruitment, and other exams.
  2. Fee Hikes: Protesting against arbitrary increases in tuition and examination fees to ensure education remains affordable.
  3. Reservation for OBC, SC, and ST Students: Advocating for proper implementation of reservation policies in educational institutions.
  4. Women's Safety: Organizing campaigns and protests to demand safer campuses and public spaces for women.
  5. Fund Cuts in Scholarships and Education Budgets:[19] Opposing reductions in funding for scholarships and education, ensuring equitable access for students from marginalized communities.

Protests and Movements

NEET Protest: In response to alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 exam, members of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) protested by storming the National Testing Agency (NTA) office in Delhi,[20] locking the building and demanding the agency's shutdown.[21] The protest was sparked by concerns over paper leaks and the unusual result of 67 students scoring a perfect 720. Following the protest, the Delhi Police filed charges[22] against the National President of NSUI Varun Choudhary[23] and other members. Similar protests were then held in different cities across India.[24] The controversy led to petitions and a Supreme Court ruling for a re-test for over 1,500 students.[25] The Ministry of Education formed a committee to review the exam process, while the CBI investigates the alleged irregularities.[26] On 15 July 2024, the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) staged a massive protest in Bhopal against the NEET paper leak, the nursing scam, and the controversial Agnipath scheme.[27]

Parliament March: On 5 December 2024, members of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), were stopped by Delhi Police while marching towards Indian Parliament.[9] The protest aimed to highlight critical issues such as unemployment, delays in recruitment, and cuts in student scholarships and demanded fair recruitment processes, transparency in hiring, and the restoration of scholarships, particularly for marginalized communities. The protest condemned government policies that adversely affected students, particularly those from SC, ST, and OBC backgrounds. NSUI President Varun Choudhary and around 100 members were detained by Delhi Police.[28]

National Presidents

Period! Home State
1Rangarajan Kumaramangalam19711974Tamil Nadu
2Mohan Gopal 19741976Kerala
3Geetanjali Maken19761977Delhi
4K. K. Sharma19771981Uttar Pradesh
5Subhash Chaudhary19811982Haryana
6Ramesh Chennithala19821984Kerala
7Mukul Wasnik19841986Maharashtra
8Manish Tewari19861993Punjab
9Saleem Ahmed19931997Karnataka
10Alka Lamba19971999Delhi
11Meenakshi Natarajan19992003Madhya Pradesh
12Ashok Tanwar20032005Haryana
13Nadeem Javed20052008Uttar Pradesh
14Hibi Eden20082012Kerala
15Rohit Chaudhary20122014Delhi
16Roji M John20142016Kerala
17Amrita Dhawan20162017Delhi
18Fairoz Khan20172018Jammu and Kashmir
19Neeraj Kundan20192024Jammu and Kashmir
20Varun Choudhary2024IncumbentDelhi

Current State Presidents

!S.no!State!President
1Andhra PradeshNaga Madhu Yadav
2Arunachal PradeshSaruk Yura
3AssamKrishnanu Baruah
4BiharJaishankar Prasad
5ChhattisgarhNeeraj Pandey
6GoaNaushad Chowdhari
7GujaratNarendra Solanki
8HaryanaAvinash Yadav
9Himachal PradeshTony Thakur
10JharkhandBinay Oraon
11KarnatakaKirthi Ganesh
12KeralaAloshious Xavier
13Madhya PradeshAshutosh Choksey
14MaharashtraAmir Shaikh
15ManipurJoyson KH
16MeghalayaMewan P Pariat
17MizoramR. B. Lalmalsawma
18NagalandX Chophika Sumi
19OdishaUdit Narayan Pradhan
20PunjabIsherpreet Singh
21RajasthanVinod Jakhar
22SikkimJatin Farswal
23Tamil NaduM Chinnathambi
24TelanganaYadavalli Venkata Swamy
25TripuraSwarup Kumar Sil
26UttarakhandVikas Negi
27Uttar PradeshRohit Rana (West)
Anas Rahman (Central)
Rishabh Pandey(East)
28West BengalPriyanka Choudhary
29Andaman and Nicobar IslandsM. A. Sajid
30Chandigarh
31Dadra Nagar Haveli
32Daman and Diu
33DelhiAshish Lamba
34Jammu and KashmirAjay Lakhotra
35Ladakh
36LakshadweepAjas Akber Puthiya Illam
37MumbaiPradyum Yadav
38PuducherryDr.Harsha Vardhan S

Controversies

In November 2013, two members of the NSUI were injured by police as they attempted to submit a memorandum to the district magistrate.[29] In late November, the NSUI filed a complain with the police against Madhu Kishwar, a writer who ousted the journalist that had been allegedly sexually assaulted by Tarun Tejpal.[30]

NSUI national secretary Akshay Kumar, who was also elected as the joint secretary of Delhi University Students' Union in 2010, allegedly submitted fake documents to secure admission in the Department of Buddhist Studies. An FIR was filed against him by the Department of Buddhist Studies.[31] In 2018, NSUI president Fairoz Khan stepped down from the post following the charges of sexual harassment against him.[32]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Cong appoints Varun Choudhary to head NSUI.
  2. News: कन्हैया कुमार को सोंपी बड़ी ज़िम्मेदारी .
  3. News: NSUI Incharge Shri Kanhaiya Kumar and NSUI President Shri Varun Choudhary has appointed Shri Ravi Pandey as National Chairman of NSUI Media Department with immediate effect.
  4. Web site: PTI . 2024-01-05 . Congress appoints Alka Lamba chief of its women's wing, Varun Choudhary to head NSUI . 2024-03-08 . ThePrint . en-US.
  5. Web site: जानिए कौन हैं वरुण चौधरी जिसे कांग्रेस ने सौंपी NSUI की कमान, अलका लांबा बनी महिला कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष . 2024-03-08 . Navbharat Times . hi.
  6. Web site: u Membership terms. Login.nsui.in. 10 January 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20130828022540/http://login.nsui.in/membership. 28 August 2013. dead.
  7. Web site: 2024-12-12 . NSUI Official Website.
  8. Web site: To address students' issues, NSUI launches 'Hum Badlenge' campaign . 2024-12-12 . The Tribune . en.
  9. Web site: 2024-11-18 . NSUI to hold Parliament March on Dec 5 against paper leaks, unemployment . 2024-12-12 . India Today . en.
  10. News: Karnataka: What is 'burn the chaddi' campaign? Know why politicians are burning underwears as protest . 6 June 2022 . 7 June 2022 . Free Press Journal . en.
  11. Web site: 2024-11-25 . Congress-backed NSUI's big comeback in Delhi University polls, wins President post . 2024-12-12 . India Today . en.
  12. News: Butani . Ashna . 2024-11-25 . DUSU polls: NSUI wins DUSU president's post after seven years . 2024-12-12 . The Hindu . en-IN . 0971-751X.
  13. Web site: Mittal . Nidhi . News . India TV . 2024-11-25 . Who is DUSU 2024 president Ronak Khatri? Know all about 'Matka Man' . 2024-12-12 . www.indiatvnews.com . en.
  14. Web site: Ajatika . 2024-11-25 . DUSU Elections: NSUI Wins President, Joint Secretary Posts; ABVP Secures VP, Secretary Roles . 2024-12-12 . news.abplive.com . en.
  15. Web site: NSUI members detained during protest march towards Parliament . 2024-12-12 . Deccan Herald . en.
  16. Web site: Service . Statesman News . 2024-12-05 . NSUI stages protest against Centre over paper leak, Manipur crisis . 2024-12-12 . The Statesman . en.
  17. Web site: Service . Express News . 2024-06-25 . NEET row: Protesters detained during march to Parliament . 2024-12-12 . The New Indian Express . en.
  18. News: Bureau . The Hindu . 2024-06-24 . Police stop students from marching to Parliament amid NEET, UGC-NET row . 2024-12-12 . The Hindu . en-IN . 0971-751X.
  19. Web site: 2024-12-05 . NSUI leads parliament march; protests against paper leaks, education fund cuts, and vacancies . 2024-12-12 . Careers360 . en.
  20. Web site: NSUI workers storm NTA building in Delhi, hold massive protests over NEET paper leak case . 2024-12-12 . Deccan Herald . en.
  21. Web site: Jaiswal . Arushi . News . India TV . 2024-06-27 . NEET-UG paper leak row: Congress' student wing members barge into NTA office, lock place from inside . 2024-12-12 . www.indiatvnews.com . en.
  22. News: Bureau . The Hindu . 2024-06-28 . Students booked for anti-NTA protests in Delhi, but strike continues despite rain . 2024-12-12 . The Hindu . en-IN . 0971-751X.
  23. Web site: NEET-UG issue: Delhi Police registers FIR against NSUI president for protesting at NTA office . 2024-12-12 . ANI News . en.
  24. News: 2024-07-09 . Uttar Pradesh: NSUI hold protest against NEET-UG exam 2024 irregularities in Varanasi . http://web.archive.org/web/20240709121917/https://www.hindustantimes.com/education/competitive-exams/uttar-pradesh-nsui-hold-protest-against-neet-ug-exam-2024-irregularities-in-varanasi-101720526093469.html . 2024-07-09 . 2024-12-12 . Hindustan Times . en-us.
  25. Web site: Jain . Debby . 2024-06-13 . NEET UG 2024 - Grace Marks Given To 1563 Candidates Will Be Cancelled, They'll Be Given Retest Option: Centre Tells Supreme Court . 2024-12-12 . www.livelaw.in . en.
  26. News: Bhelari . Amit . 2024-10-05 . CBI files third chargesheet in the NEET UG-2024 paper leak case against 21 accused . 2024-12-12 . The Hindu . en-IN . 0971-751X.
  27. Web site: MP Updates: Water Canons Fired To Disperse NSUI Students Protesting NEET Paper Leak In Bhopal; Youth Dies After Being Electrocuted In Dindori . 2024-12-12 . Free Press Journal . en.
  28. Web site: NSUI members detained during protest march towards parliament . 2024-12-12 . Deccan Herald . en.
  29. News: NSUI students lathicharged during protest at inspector's office . 10 January 2019 . The Times of India.
  30. News: NSUI files complaint against Kishwar for tweeting survivor's name in Tejpal case . 10 January 2019 . The Times of India.
  31. News: NSUI national secretary submitted fake degree for admission in PhD course: DU Official . 24 September 2018 . The New Indian Express.
  32. News: 2018-10-16 . NSUI president Fairoz Khan quits after Congress worker levels sexual harassment charges against him . 2021-03-07 . The Hindu . en-IN . 0971-751X . PTI.