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Metro passes, WiFi in all colleges: What the new DU students’ union promises

The ABVP secured three of the four central panel posts and the NSUI bagged the fourth

Students at Miranda House College, in New Delhi on Friday. (Source: Express Photo)

As results of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) election were announced on Friday, the campus erupted in celebration — the sound of dhols echoed across the grounds and rose petals rained down.

The winners, sporting yellow marigold garlands, were hoisted onto shoulders and paraded toward the iconic Vivekananda statue inside the Arts Faculty on North Campus, a ritual etched in DU’s student politics.

Following their victory, the new leaders spelled out their promises.

ABVP’s President-elect Aryan Maan framed the victory as a collective mandate. “The students of DU have made us winners in this election. This proves how well-connected they are with the ABVP. Our priority will be the Metro concession pass, which we promised in our manifesto. We will ensure all students of DU get this pass,” he said.

Hailing from Haryana’s Bahadurgarh, Aryan, 23, is a graduate of Hansraj College and is currently pursuing a degree in Library Science. An active football player, he has been at the forefront of several key student movements organised by the ABVP, particularly campaigns against fee hikes and advocating for improved university infrastructure.

NSUI’s Rahul Jhasla, who clinched the Vice-President post, said his focus would be on mental health and housing. “I will ensure there is a mental health counsellor in every college of this university. I will fight to ensure every student in every college gets an option to live in the hostel. These will be the first things that I will prioritise,” he told The Indian Express.

Rahul, 24, is a final-year Master’s student in Buddhist Studies. He has been at the forefront of student activism for the past two years, demanding improved campus and sports infrastructure, better hygiene in hostels and classrooms, access to clean drinking water, and the establishment of a Women’s Development Cell. He enjoys strong support from Purvanchal and Rajasthan student communities.

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“I’ve been fighting for the welfare of students for the past six years, and I will continue to fight for them in the future too,” he added.

ABVP’s Deepika Jha, who bagged the Joint Secretary post, pledged to focus on women’s safety and infrastructure. “Every college will have a women’s common room, and we will ensure there is patrolling in front of colleges to ensure women’s safety. This will be our priority,” she said.

Hailing from Bihar, Deepika, 21, is a graduate of Lakshmibai College and is presently a student in the Department of Buddhist Studies. She has been involved with the ABVP’s ‘Students for Seva’ initiative and contributed to student-led social transformation activities, including community schools and the Ritumati campaign for menstrual hygiene awareness.

Kunal Chaudhary from ABVP, who won the post of Secretary, promised to tackle a perennial frustration for students. “We will ensure WiFi is available in every college. Many students face this issue… and we want to make sure we take it up first.”

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A Delhi resident and a graduate of PGDAV College, the 24-year-old is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in the Department of Buddhist Studies. Kunal also brings leadership experience to the panel, having served as President of the PGDAV College Students’ Union in 2023.

Vidheesha Kuntamalla

Vidheesha Kuntamalla is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She is known for her investigative reporting on higher education policy, international student immigration, and academic freedom on university campuses. Her work consistently connects policy decisions with lived realities, foregrounding how administrative actions, political pressure, and global shifts affect students, faculty, and institutions. Professional Profile Core Beat: Vidheesha covers education in Delhi and nationally, reporting on major public institutions including the University of Delhi (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia, the IITs, and the IIMs. She also reports extensively on private and government schools in the National Capital Region. Prior to joining The Indian Express, she worked as a freelance journalist in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for over a year, covering politics, rural issues, women-centric issues, and social justice. Specialisation: She has developed a strong niche in reporting on the Indian student diaspora, particularly the challenges faced by Indian students and H-1B holders in the United States. Her work examines how geopolitical shifts, immigration policy changes, and campus politics impact global education mobility. She has also reported widely on: * Mental health crises and student suicides at IITs * Policy responses to campus mental health * Academic freedom and institutional clampdowns at JNU, South Asian University (SAU), and Delhi University * Curriculum and syllabus changes under the National Education Policy Her recent reporting has included deeply reported human stories on policy changes during the Trump administration and their consequences for Indian students and researchers in the US. Reporting Style Vidheesha is recognised for a human-centric approach to policy reporting, combining investigative depth with intimate storytelling. Her work often highlights the anxieties of students and faculty navigating bureaucratic uncertainty, legal precarity, and institutional pressure. She regularly works with court records, internal documents, official data, and disciplinary frameworks to expose structural challenges to academic freedom. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2024 & 2025) 1. Express Investigation Series JNU’s fault lines move from campus to court: University fights students and faculty (November 2025) An Indian Express investigation found that since 2011, JNU has appeared in over 600 cases before the Delhi High Court, filed by the administration, faculty, staff, students, and contractual workers across the tenures of three Vice-Chancellors. JNU’s legal wars with students and faculty pile up under 3 V-Cs | Rs 30-lakh fines chill campus dissent (November 2025) The report traced how steep monetary penalties — now codified in the Chief Proctor’s Office Manual — are reshaping dissent and disciplinary action on campus. 2. International Education & Immigration ‘Free for a day. Then came ICE’: Acquitted after 43 years, Indian-origin man faces deportation — to a country he has never known (October 2025) H-1B $100,000 entry fee explained: Who pays, who’s exempt, and what’s still unclear? (September 2025) Khammam to Dallas, Jhansi to Seattle — audacious journeys in pursuit of the American dream after H-1B visa fee hike (September 2025) What a proposed 15% cap on foreign admissions in the US could mean for Indian students (October 2025) Anxiety on campus after Trump says visas of pro-Palestinian protesters will be cancelled (January 2025) ‘I couldn’t believe it’: F-1 status of some Indian students restored after US reverses abrupt visa terminations (April 2025) 3. Academic Freedom & Policy Exclusive: South Asian University fires professor for ‘inciting students’ during stipend protests (September 2025) Exclusive: Ministry seeks explanation from JNU V-C for skipping Centre’s meet, views absence ‘seriously’ (July 2025) SAU rows after Noam Chomsky mentions PM Modi, Lankan scholar resigns, PhD student exits SAU A series of five stories examining shrinking academic freedom at South Asian University after global scholar Noam Chomsky referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an academic interaction, triggering administrative unease and renewed debate over political speech, surveillance, and institutional autonomy on Indian campuses. 4. Mental Health on Campuses In post-pandemic years, counselling rooms at IITs are busier than ever; IIT-wise data shows why (August 2025) Campus suicides: IIT-Delhi panel flags toxic competition, caste bias, burnout (April 2025) 5. Delhi Schools These Delhi government school grads are now success stories. Here’s what worked — and what didn’t (February 2025) ‘Ma’am… may I share something?’ Growing up online and alone, why Delhi’s teens are reaching out (December 2025) ... Read More

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