DUSU Elections 2025: Women from top colleges take center stage; all about their educational background

TOI Education / Updated: Sep 17, 2025, 14:53 IST

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The Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections 2025–26 are set to witness a high-stakes contest on September 18, with 21 candidates vying for president, vice president, secretary, and joint secretary posts. Notably, women from premier DU colleges, including the Department of Buddhist Studies, Hindu College, Bhagini Nivedita College, and the Department of Social Work, are emerging as key contenders, reflecting a shift toward merit-based and inclusive campus leadership.

DUSU Elections 2025: Women from top colleges take center stage; all about their educational background

The Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections 2025–26 have reached their decisive phase, with 21 candidates cleared to contest the four top posts — president, vice president, secretary, and joint secretary. The polls are scheduled for September 18, 2025, with counting of votes on September 19. A direct contest between the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) is expected to dominate the narrative, alongside a notable presence of independent candidates.

Women candidates and their academic backgrounds

The prominence of these women candidates highlights DU’s growing trend of academically accomplished women taking leadership roles, signaling a shift in campus politics toward inclusivity and merit-based representation.

Post	Candidate Name	College / Department
President	Anjali	Department of Buddhist Studies
President	Joslyn Nandita Choudhary Nee Jeetu Choudhary	Department of Buddhist Studies
President	Umanshi	Department of Buddhist Studies
Secretary	Abhinandana Pratyashi	Hindu College
Joint Secretary	Akshita	Bhagini Nivedita College
Joint Secretary	Ameeliya Ann Varghese	Department of Social Work
Joint Secretary	Deepika Jha	Department of Buddhist Studies

Key issues shaping the campaign

While traditional campaigning through banners and slogans continues, this year’s elections are strongly focused on student concerns:

Hostel shortage: Lack of affordable accommodations continues to impact students from outside Delhi.
Fee hikes: Rising costs remain a key issue across all campuses.
Campus safety: Women’s safety is highlighted in several candidates’ manifestos.
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: Students debate its impact on curriculum, workload, and campus life.

Why DUSU elections matter nationally

DUSU elections have historically been a springboard for national leaders, including Arun Jaitley and Ajay Maken. Political parties closely watch the polls as a measure of youth sentiment and as a platform to test outreach strategies. This year, the prominence of women candidates from top academic institutions may signal a broader shift in student leadership dynamics, emphasizing education, representation, and inclusive governance.

Official schedule for DUSU elections 2025–26

As campaigning enters its final stretch, all eyes will be on September 18, when students will choose their next leaders.

Event	Date & Time
Scrutiny of Nomination Papers	September 10, 2025, till 3:00 p.m.
Publication of list of duly nominated candidates	September 10, 2025, 3:15 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Last date for withdrawal of nominations	September 11, 2025, till 12:00 noon
Publication of final list of candidates	September 11, 2025, till 5:00 p.m.
Date of election	September 18, 2025
Voting timings (Day classes)	8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Voting timings (Evening classes)	3:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Counting of votes	September 19, 2025