HCU Student Union elections 2024: “Left panel represents all students,” says President-elect Umesh Ambedkar

Umesh secured the post of the President of HCUSU with 1,313 votes, with former Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarti Parishad (ABVP) leader Akash Bhati trailing behind with 1,295 votes
SFI-ASA-BSF-DSU panel wins big at the HCUSU elections 2024.
SFI-ASA-BSF-DSU panel wins big at the HCUSU elections 2024.Pic: SFI
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“The Left Alliance has emerged victorious in the student union elections as it represents every student, and fights for social justice for all,” says Umesh Ambedkar, the newly-elected President of the Hyderabad Central University’s Student Union (HCUSU).

He says that a student body as diverse as the one in HCU, which is comprised of students from all over India, is best represented by a student union that reflects this diversity in its election candidates.

Umesh represents an eclectic alliance of Left student groups at HCU, comprised of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), Ambedkar Students’ Association (ASA), Dalit Students’ Union (DSU), and Bahujan Students’ Forum (BSF).

The alliance won the posts of President, Vice-President, General Secretary, Joint Secretary, and Cultural Secretary in the HCUSU elections, whose counting concluded on Saturday, October 26.

Umesh, who joined HCU in 2017 as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) student, has been involved in student politics and activism with the DSU since his early days at the university. “I contested for the post of Councillor of the School of Management Studies at HCU and won. I had been fighting for student welfare, particularly Dalit, marginalised and poor students ever since,” he says.

To recall, he also contested for President in the 2023 HCUSU elections but lost to SFI’s Ateeq Ahmed. However, he says that the loss only made him stronger, and inspired him to fight harder this year.

“Fight against centralisation biggest priority”

According to Umesh, the most pressing issue faced by the students at HCU today is the Union Government’s initiatives to centralise the education process.

“These policies affect the poor and marginalised students the most,” he says. Talking about the Common University Entrance Test (CUET), he says that only aspirants with access to computers and the internet would be able to do well in the test. Moreover, a lack of availability of exam centres makes it difficult for candidates from rural areas to appear for the exam, he says.

“Earlier, HCU’s internal entrance test used to take place in every district. Now, CUET’s exam centres are only limited to urban areas,” he claims.

Apart from resisting the centralisation of higher education, Umesh says that the new student union will also fight for unresolved issues such as improvement in hostel facilities and campus facilities, timely hikes and disbursals of scholarships and fellowships, and fund cuts, among others.

The union will also ensure proper functioning of the Samarth portal, issuing of physical ID cards, and more, he says.

Friction with the administration?

Addressing the constant stand-offs between the varsity's administration and the previous HCUSU, which was also won by the members of the SFI-ASA-BSF-DSU panel, Umesh said that the leaders were acting only in the interest of the students, and not out of selfish reasons.

He says, “The student union was elected for students’ welfare, and to give students a platform to raise their concerns. Maybe the previous student union was a little harsh in doing so, and that’s why the administration felt compelled to come in its way.”

To recall, the previous student union, led by SFI leader Ateeq Ahmed had several confrontations with the administration of HCU, particularly over the organisation of HCU’s annual festival Sukoon.

The administration announced the cancellation of the fest over security concerns during the Lok Sabha elections that took place in Hyderabad in May, which led to severe protests from the HCUSU — which even gheraoed the campus guest house of Vice-Chancellor Prof BJ Rao.

Subsequently, the HCUSU leaders were issued show-cause notices and suspension orders by the administration, and the HCUSU was ultimately suspended on October 15, announcing the elections for the new HCUSU.

“We will continue the previous HCUSU’s fight for student welfare,” Umesh says.

Umesh secured the post of the President of HCUSU with 1,313 votes, with former Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarti Parishad (ABVP) leader Akash Bhati trailing behind with 1,295 votes.

“I am happy that my victory gives DSU more reach and power to serve the students and have a say in how student affairs are run,” he says.

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