Lucknow5: In a significant organizational move, a high-level meeting of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) was held at the Uttar Pradesh Congress Headquarters in the esteemed presence of Devki Patel, the newly appointed National Secretary and Uttar Pradesh In-Charge of NSUI. The session was presided over by Anas Rahman, NSUI President for the Central Zone, and was coordinated by Shubham Kharwar, General Secretary for NSUI’s Central Zone.
The meeting began with floral tributes to former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on his death anniversary, offered by Devki Patel as a mark of respect.
During the meeting, detailed discussions were held on strengthening the NSUI’s presence in Uttar Pradesh and connecting with the youth across the state. Addressing the gathering, Devki Patel emphasized the importance of taking student issues seriously and instructed party workers to relentlessly fight for student rights and welfare.
Criticism of UP Government Over School Closures
Speaking to the media post-meeting, Devki Patel strongly criticized the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government for its decision to close 5,000 government schools in Uttar Pradesh. She stated that the move would deeply affect children from economically weaker, Dalit, and marginalized communities, putting their futures at risk.
She highlighted that it was NSUI, along with other opposition parties and civil society groups, that first protested against the school closure plan and filed a petition in court. “Thanks to collective legal action, the court has currently stayed the government’s decision to merge or close government schools,” she said.

Unemployment and Scholarship Denial Raised
Patel also alleged that since the BJP came to power, the number of unemployed youth in the state has been steadily rising. She further claimed that students belonging to SC/ST and OBC categories have been denied access to scholarships, severely impacting their education and career prospects.
Delay in Student Union Elections Questioned
She criticized the state government for not conducting student union elections despite the court’s nod in 2018. “The BJP government fears that democratically elected student leaders will raise their voice against its collapsed education system, rising unemployment, and student-related issues,” Patel remarked.
Prominent Leaders Present
The press conference was attended by several prominent NSUI and Congress leaders, including:
- Anas Rahman, President, NSUI UP Central
- Sachin Rawat, Congress Spokesperson
- Aryan Mishra, NSUI State Vice President
- Saurabh Singh, Akash Awasthi, Aftab Jafri, NSUI office-bearers
- Shubham Kharwar, General Secretary
- Divyansh Shukla, State Co-Secretary
- Shivam Mishra, District President
- Akhilesh Yadav, District President
- Shan Mohammad, City President
- Rana Sudhanshu Sharma, Unit President, Lucknow University
- Tanu Arya, Unit President, B.R. Ambedkar University
The meeting concluded with a renewed call to mobilize youth across campuses and continue NSUI’s fight for education, equity, and student rights in Uttar Pradesh.