The vote counting for the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) 2025 elections has concluded with the Left wing securing all pivotal positions once again. This year, Aditi Mishra, from the Left camp, claimed victory in the presidential race with a margin of 449 votes. Originating from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, she completed her schooling in Bihar and graduated with an Economics degree from Banaras Hindu University (BHU), where her political journey began.
Journey from Banaras to JNU’s Student Politics
Aditi Mishra hails from Varanasi (Banaras), Uttar Pradesh, where she completed her schooling. In September 2017, during a student movement at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), she actively participated as a graduate student. In 2018, Aditi joined Pondicherry University, where she boldly opposed the spread of Hindutva ideology and resisted saffronization, even staging a sit-in at the Vice Chancellor's office. When the university administration proposed a steep fee hike in 2019, students locked down the administrative building in protest, with Aditi leading the charge, not just against the fee increment but also actively engaging in anti-CAA protests. By 2020, her efforts intensified as she championed for the rights of marginalized students.
Pursuing Ph.D. on Women’s Resistance
Currently, Aditi is pursuing her Ph.D. from JNU’s School of International Studies (SIS) at the Center for Comparative Politics and Political Theory (CCPPT), focusing on “Gender Violence and Women’s Resistance post-2012 in Uttar Pradesh.” In her Ph.D. second year, she was elected as a representative of the Internal Committee (IC), working to ensure transparency and accountability in the handling of sexual harassment cases. Her efforts compelled JNU’s administration to confront its traditional opaqueness and lack of accountability. This year, ensuring gender-neutral representation in the committee was a significant accomplishment for her.
JNU Election Results 2025:
Aditi Mishra: 1,861 votes
K. Gopika: 2,966 votes
Sunil Yadav: 1,915 votes
Danish Ali: 1,991 votes
Seven Candidates Vying for Presidency
Seven candidates contested for the presidency: Aditi Mishra (Left Unity), Vikas Patel (ABVP), Vikas Bishnoi (NSUI), Raj Ratan Rajoria (BAPSA), Teertha Indu (DISHA), Shinde Vijaylakshmi (Progressive Students Association), Angad Singh (Independent). Leading candidates for the Vice President position include Kizhakoot Gopika Babu (Left Unity), Sheikh Shahnawaz Alam (NSUI), and Tanya Kumari (ABVP).
Main Message of Aditi Mishra
In her address, Aditi Mishra stated, "The present is a moment not just of exception but of fighting for dissent and equality. Since 2014, universities and the Idea of India have been under threat. My mission is to build a JNU where every student and ideology is protected and has a voice." She also addressed issues like the distant environment of Kashmir and Ladakh, as well as Palestine-Kashmir, showing her commitment to both student concerns and broader social justice.
Election Panel and Front
The Left Unity panel comprises Aditi Mishra (President), K. Gopika Babu (Vice President), Sunil Yadav (General Secretary), and Danish Ali (Joint Secretary). The main contest in this year's JNU student elections is perceived to be between Left Unity and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
Focus Areas of Aditi
Aditi is concentrating on student welfare, academic freedom, and equality themes, which make her particularly relevant in a politically vibrant campus like JNU. Her assertion that "JNU is not just a place for education but a realm for thought and discussion" sets her apart from other candidates. This election faces off two ideologies: the traditional dynamism of Left Unity and the ‘performance and nationalism’ agenda of the Right-wing unit—with Aditi Mishra's leadership seen as a new alternative.
JNUSU Elections 2025: Who Won the Presidency Over the Past Decade?
2024: Nitish Kumar (AISA - United Left) 2023: Dhananjay (AISA - United Left) 2019: Aishe Ghosh (SFI - United Left) 2018: N Sai Balaji (AISA - United Left) 2017: Geeta Kumari (AISA - United Left) 2016: Mohit PM (AISA - United Left) 2015: Kanhaiya Kumar (AISF) 2014: Ashutosh Kumar (AISA) 2013: Akbar Chaudhary (AISA) 2012: V. Lenin Kumar (DSF) 2011: Sucheta De (AISA).
