New Delhi: ‘One Course, One Fee’, students’ mental health, scholarships for transgenders, increments in scholarships are some of the promises made by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in its manifesto for the forthcoming Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections.
On Monday, the ABVP unveiled its 21-point manifesto. “It has been aptly titled ‘WoManifesto’ as it reflects the ABVP’s commitment to addressing a wide array of issues that concern the student community, especially women,” the ABVP said.
The ABVP said that ‘One Course, One Fee’, more University Special buses, Metro concession passes, new hostels and more girls’ hostels are some of the main issues mentioned in their manifesto.
Beside this the ABVP has pitched for increment in SC/ST/OBC scholarships, construction of new hostels and girls’ hostels in every college. “We are also pushing for an ‘Earn While Learn’ policy to provide students with opportunities to earn while pursuing their education,” the student organisation added.
The manifesto was released in the presence of all four ABVP candidates for DUSU – Tushar Dedha, Sushant Dhankar, Aprajita, and Sachin Baisla, along with ABVP state secretary, Harsh Attri, and ABVP national media convener, Ashutosh Singh.
Tushar Dedha, the ABVP’s presidential candidate, affirmed, “Previous ABVP-led DUSUs have diligently addressed student concerns. We are committed to addressing issues like fee hikes, expanding hostel infrastructure, and prioritising mental health of the students.”
Aprajita, the ABVP’s candidate for the secretary’s post emphasised the student organisation’s commitment to women empowerment and mentioned initiatives like ‘Mission Sahasi’ for self-defence training and ‘Ritumati Abhiyan’ for sanitary pad distribution.
She added that the ABVP aims to further these efforts through measures like restoring and renewing sanitary pad vending machines and incinerators in all colleges, ensuring the availability of full-time gynecologists and psychologists in the WUS Health Centre in Delhi University (DU), pink booths near every hostel, installation of CCTV cameras inside and outside college campuses, gender sensitisation camps, strengthening Internal Complaints Committees (ICC) in colleges, hiring women trainers in sports and co-curricular activities, girls’ common room in every college, etc.
Harsh Attri stressed that the manifesto was solution-oriented, emphasising a three-fold approach for the DU’s curriculum: Review, rational debate, and revise.
Additionally, the manifesto includes demands for improved amenities such as water coolers at every 100 metres on Chhatra Marg, sanitation in every college, ‘Mindfulness’ Centres in DU, effective implementation of the ‘Ek Bharat Shresth Bharat’ program, special arrangements for the commute of differently-abled students, and meaningful employment opportunities along with professional development training through an effective placement cell.
The ABVP’s manifesto reflects its vision for a more inclusive, progressive, and student-centric DU. The organisation remains dedicated to advancing the interests of the student community and fostering positive change in higher education, the student organisation said.
–IANS