On students’ platter: Health insurance cover, women’s gym and better hostel food

The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) features Rahul Nain for president, Archit Garg for vice-president, Paras Prashar for secretary, and Yash Kapasiya for general secretary. Their promises include ambitious goals such as achieving 50% student placement, establishing a women’s gym, offering self-defence classes, and increasing “earn while you learn” fund to ?27,500 per head. They also aim to collaborate with NGOs for installing sanitary pad vending machines and bolster menstrual hygiene support on campus.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) candidates — Arpita Malik for president, Abhishek Kapoor for vice-president, Shivnandan Rikhee for secretary, and Jasvinder Rana for joint secretary — promise to install sanitary pad vending machines and incinerators, advocate for student health insurance, and improve girls’ hostel facilities. They also propose a helpline for social media abuse targeting female students, the establishment of the Sahasi Women’s Club, and pink security booths near girls’ hostels.

The Students’ Organisation of India (SOI), led by its presidential candidate Tarun Sidhu, has pledged to reduce public transport fares for students, install commercial washing machines and air conditioners in hostels, and expand library facilities. Additionally, SOI promises to address campus safety, enhance sports infrastructure, and improve sanitation.

The Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) has declared Prince Chaudhary for the president’s post, Karanveer Kumar for the vice-president’s post, Vineet Yadav for the secretary’s post, and Rohit Sharma for the joint secretary’s post. Their poll planks include creating a centralised placement cell, offering full-time gynaecological and psychological support, renovating the A C Joshi Library, and enhancing campus security with improved lighting and CCTV installation.

Other notable candidates include Anurag Dalal from SOPU+ Student Front + HIMSU + Independent, promising improvement in women’s safety and campus facilities, and Alka from the ASF, advocating for scholarships and support for disabled students. Sarah from PSU (Lalkaar) and Mukul Singh Chauhan (Independent) too promise transparency, security, and inclusivity.

Panels and promises

NSUI panel

– Rahul Nain (President)
– Archit Garg (Vice-president)
– Paras Prashar (Secretary)
– Yash Kapasiya (Joint Secretary)

Promises

1. Ensure 50% student placement.
2. Create a women’s gym.
3. Offer self-defence classes.
4. Increase “Earn While You Learn” fund to ?27,500.
5. Collaborate with NGOs for sanitary pad vending machines.
6. Enhance menstrual hygiene support on campus.

ABVP panel

– Arpita Malik (President)
– Abhishek Kapoor (V-P)
– Shivnandan Rikhee (Secretary)
– Jasvinder Rana (Joint Secretary)

Promises

1. Install sanitary pad vending machines and incinerators in all departments.
2. Advocate for health insurance coverage for students.
3. Improve facilities in girls’ hostels, including water coolers, washing machines, ventilation, quality furniture, and healthy food.
4. Establish a helpline for social media abuse targeting female students.
5. Introduce Sahasi Women’s Club for addressing issues and empowering female students.
6. Implement pink security booths near girls’ hostels to prevent harassment and ensure safe movement.

SOI panel

-Tarun Sidhu (President)

Promises

1. Reduce public transport fare for students by 50% with PU ID.
2. Install commercial washing machines and ACs in all hostels.
3. Expand AC Joshi Library’s seating capacity and renovate hostel reading rooms.
4. Open a health clinic for students and improve sanitation across campus.
5. Address monkey menace, enhance campus security, and improve Wi-Fi connectivity.
6. Improve sports infrastructure, install rain shelters, and resume shuttle bus service between South and North Campus.

CYSS panel

– Prince Chaudhary (President)
– Karanveer Kumar (V-P)
– Vineet Yadav (Secretary)
– Rohit Sharma (Joint Secretary)

Promises

1. Centralised Placement Cell for all departments.
2. Full-time gynaecologist and psychologist at health centre.
3. Increased availability of reading halls on campus.
4. Renovated A C Joshi Library.
5. 24/7 ground access with improved security and lighting.
6. Enhanced campus security with CCTV installation and additional personnel.

SOPU+ Student Front + HIMSU + Independent

– Anurag Dalal (President)
– Jashanpreet Singh (Secretary)

Promises

1. Focus on women’s safety, addressing sexual harassment, and increasing police presence.
2. Improve campus safety with a shuttle bus service.
3. Resolve library overcrowding and enhance mess facilities.
4. Advocate for the implementation of PWD Act for inclusivity.
5. Prioritise hygiene and facility improvements, including hostel wall whitewashing.
6. Ensure student voices are heard through memorandums, protests, and active representation.

ASF

-Alka (President)

Promises

1. Advocate for post-matric scholarships and support for disabled students, including providing scribes for the blind.
2. Push for shuttle bus service to improve women’s safety on campus.
3. Enhance campus accessibility for disabled students.
4. Ensure professors adhere to timetables and personally conduct classes.
5. To drive student-led change on Ambedkar ideology.
6. Promote student empowerment with her motto: “Educate, Agitate, Organise.”

PSU (Lalkaar)

– Sarah (President)

Promises

1. Protect student voices, ensure 24-hour campus access, and ban police presence on campus.
2. Extend library hours, host cultural events, and improve academic facilities.
3. Publicise details of campus funds and maintain transparency in all services.
4. Regularly inspect hygiene, improve hostel amenities, and ban disposable items.
5. Fill faculty vacancies, provide affordable food, and maintain sports and hostel infrastructure.
6. Implement PWD-friendly infrastructure, expand scholarships, and support research scholars.

Independent

– Mukul Singh Chauhan (President)

Promises

1. Address fund and faculty shortages by securing alumni funding and recruiting more teachers.
2. Improve hostel food safety by appointing food inspectors.
3. Promote campus safety by making the area in front of girls’ hostels a no-car zone and increasing security personnel.
4. Advocate for student voices in university policies through collaboration with departments.
5. Promote inclusivity with cross-cultural programmes and proper implementation of PWD policies.
6. Enhance academic support by improving resources and advocating for more faculty recruitment.

The reporters are doing internship with The Indian Express.