NSUI first to release manifesto, promises e-bike stations and mental health counselling

Time of India

2 days ago

Chandigarh: Solar rooftops, subsidised canteens, 24×7 health centres, ramps and lifts, even e-scooter stations- NSUI opened the manifesto season at Panjab University with a catalogue of promises that sounded ambitious, but to many on campus, familiar.
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Last year's commitments of placements, self-defence classes and pad-vending machines still remain unfulfilled, and doubts are already circling whether this manifesto will fare any better.
The Congress-backed student body released its document at Chandigarh Congress office, with NSUI national president Varun Choudhary and Chandigarh Congress chief H S Lucky present. Choudhary said the manifesto "reflected the aspirations of every student" and would help NSUI "sweep the elections."
Asked how the long list would be assured, Lucky replied, "Manifesto means manifestation, and the motive is to strive for it.
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The manifesto covers nearly every aspect of campus life: OBC reservation in admissions and hostels, scholarships for EWS students, a "One PU, One App" for grievances and results, 24×7 innovation hubs in unused classrooms, subsidised food with daily menu voting, women's safety desks, leadership programmes, sports scholarships, and more.
Yet PU's lived reality points to a wide gap. As reported earlier this week, manifestos at PU "promise the moon but deliver not even an email ID." On disability access, NSUI talks of ramps and lifts. But even after a Punjab State Human Rights Commission directive and memorandums by students from 2023, PU still lacks a basic ramp at the SBI fee counter where every student queues, as reported in June. An accessibility audit in 2024 exposed further deficits, while last year's council chose to prioritise cultural fests instead.
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Women's safety is another major plank. NSUI promises a 24×7 task force, grievance desks and full CCTV coverage. But PU already struggles with inadequate security staff, and despite budget approval in December for CCTV expansion, installation is yet to begin. As TOI reported in July, even with the library buzzing 24×7, many women students avoid the dark, poorly lit roads leading back to their hostels.
Mental health counselling, too, finds mention. But counselling is already mandatory under UGC norms, and PU has only one part-time counsellor for over 16,000 students- a crisis TOI exposed in July.
Likewise, the pledge for a YouTube channel ignores that PU already runs one. With the university facing a financial crunch and still awaiting over Rs 47 crore for hostel construction, proposals like solar rooftops, e-scooter stations and 24×7 doctors sound more like slogans than plans.
The much-touted "One PU, One App", pitched as a digital hub for results, grievances, library and transport- also seems a distant dream.
PU councils have failed for years to provide students even a basic official email ID, despite repeated assurances in manifestos. Against that backdrop, an all-in-one app looks more like a distant hope than a deliverable.
Choudhary admitted NSUI could only "pressurise" the administration, without explaining how the projects would move from manifesto to implementation.
Still, by releasing its manifesto first, NSUI has forced other groups to catch up. Whether this document turns into delivery or another year of recycled paper promises is the question weighing on PU voters.