Colleges divided over promise of affiliation to students’ body

The incumbent Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad’s (ABVP) electoral promises this year for the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) polls include the call for ensuring that all DU colleges are affiliated to DUSU. Students, however, seemed divided on the issue.

DU has around 80 affiliated colleges, 51 of which are affiliated to the DUSU. Some prominent colleges like Gargi, Kamala Nehru, Lady Sri Ram, Daulat Ram, IP College, St Stephen’s and others are not affiliated to the DUSU.

“ABVP will strive to affiliate every college of the University with DUSU without holding the referendum,” reads one of the ABVP electoral promises.

Some students echoed this need for affiliation. A student of Gargi College, who didn’t wished to be named, said colleges not participating in the students election means that the voice of not all students is being heard. “The colleges which takes part in DUSU elections have better connectivity through DU special buses. It is mainly because of students’ union constantly raising the issue. The administration knows that if they try to kill or ignore a protest it will become bigger as the students will get support from either ABVP or NSUI,” they said.

Dishani Dhiman, a third year Chemistry (hons) student at Daulat Ram College, supported for affiliation as she felt their issues get “sidelined” otherwise. “Elections are our right. We are also a part of DU, so we should also have a say in who represents us,” she said. Her classmate, however, was part of a larger camp that maintained that they were happier as non-DUSU institutions. “We have college union elections here, but no DUSU polls. I think it is better for us. Our campus does not get as littered as the others,” said Neha Saha.

Aarushi Gupta, a second year MA Economics student at the Delhi School of Economics, said that she had voted during her undergraduate days at Miranda House, but did not miss it as it had been “cumbersome”. Her classmate, Akanksha Vardan, however, had other concerns.

“As far as being a part of the process is concerned, it sounds nice. But then when you look at colleges which are affiliated to DUSU, like Ramjas, you also see that they are more chaotic,” said Vardan. “When a college is affiliated to DUSU, it becomes more politically charged, and we have seen that it can also get more violent. I am not sure I want that,” said a student, who did not wish to be identified.