All India Students Association

History

AISA was formed with the need of a platform for the revolutionary and democratic students movement. It was founded on Kranti Divas on 9 August 1990 at Allahabad. It has emerged as a popular left students’ organization struggling against the anti-student, anti-people policies. It consisted of the state units of erstwhile All Bihar Students Association, All Bengal Students Association, Progressive Students Organization (PSO) in Allahabad University. Since its inception in 1990, AISA has gained success in mobilizing students across different universities in North India, notably, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Allahabad University, Kumaun University.

From the outset, it has defeated the mainstream student union parties in its bastions at JNU, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Allahabad University and Kumaon University. In the years that followed, AISA has been at the forefront of all struggles for student rights as well as larger democratic issues. AISA has mobilized the student community across campuses on issues such as opposing fee hikes, against the package of commercialization of education and the anti-student recommendations of Knowledge Commission, against the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) and Congress’s policies. The radical students union have stood for declaring education and employment as basic rights and have opposed the attack on campus democracy and student rights in the name of the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations.

AISA’s prominent leader and two-time JNUSU president, Chandrasekhar was killed in the Siwan district of Bihar. The party's is firm believer in ideology of the revolutionary legacy of Bhagat Singh and Chandrasekhar — the revolutionary transformation of society. It gives voice to student’s creative energy through processions, demonstrations, seminars, street plays, film shows and songs on various issues of our times.

The organization is currently operating in 16 states of India, namely Delhi, UP, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Assam, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Orissa, Tripura, Maharashtra.

National conferences

The national conference is the highest decision making body. It has a very important role in the constitution of the organisation and its policy making. It reviews all previous activities and promulgates the political, organizational and financial report.

The first national conference for AISA took place on its foundation day, i.e. on 9 August 1990 at Allahabad. The second national conference was held in Delhi in 1994, the third in 1998 at Patna, the fourth in Allahabad (2001), the fifth in Calcutta (2004), and the sixth at Muzaffarpur, Bihar on 6–7 December 2006, the seventh took place at Kolkata from 8–10 February 2010. Recently, the eighth national conference took place in New Delhi from 10–11 May 2015.

National Council

National Council is elected by national conferences, the highest governing body. It is the highest policy making body in the interim period between two National Conferences. It decides the numbers of council members, will elect the office bearers and national executive council and discuss the report presented by the executive council regarding the implementation of decisions taken by it. It also has the right to make any change in the constitution, except its objective, aims and directions, with two-third majority.

National Executive

The numbers of members of National Executive Council is decided by National Council. It act as the highest body in the interim period between two seatings of National Council. It distributes the responsibilities among the office bearers and can even institute a new department. It also decides the structure of the advisory body.

Office Bearers of the Organization

President, General Secretary, Vice President, Joint-Secretary and Office Secretary are the office bearers in the organization, which are selected by the National Council. President and General Secretary represents the organization.

President

President of AISA is the constitutional head and thus chairs the meetings of National Council, National Executive Council and guide the organization.

General Secretary

General Secretary is the executive head of the Organization and the in-charge of the financial matters. It calls the meetings of the National Council, National Executive Council and present the reports in these meetings.

Student elections

AISA has consistently won in the prestigious JNU Students Union (JNUSU) since 2006. Since 2012, in the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU), which is generally occupied by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (student wing of BJP) and NSUI (student wing of Indian National Congress) respectively, AISA has emerged as the main left wing third force since 2013 elections.

Activities