ABVP raises Panjab University issues, student welfare concerns during meeting with C P Radhakrishnan

New Delhi: An Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) delegation met Vice President C P Radhakrishnan and discussed youth empowerment, higher education and student welfare, while also flagging a range of issues related to Panjab University, the RSS youth wing said in a statement issued Wednesday. The delegation, led by ABVP national president Raghuraj Kishore Tiwari and national general secretary Virendra Singh Solanki, met the Vice President on Tuesday and raised several issues related to Panjab University including representation for elected student representatives in the university senate, expansion of hostel infrastructure in proportion to the growing student population, and regular and time-bound appointments to vacant faculty positions.

It also highlighted the need for establishing a state-of-the-art centre dedicated to artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, and advocated setting up yoga and mindfulness centres along with a student welfare and mental health support centre staffed by permanent counsellors, the statement said. During the meeting, detailed and constructive discussions were held on the role of youth in nation-building, contemporary issues related to higher education, and various initiatives and campaigns being undertaken by ABVP across the country.

According to the statement, the ABVP informed the Vice President that the organisation's flagship programme, Students' Experience in Interstate Living (SEIL), is completing 60 years of service and has worked towards strengthening emotional integration, cultural dialogue and national harmony among students from different regions, particularly between the Northeast and the rest of the country. The delegation also shared details of its "Screen Time to Activity Time" campaign, which seeks to encourage students to move beyond excessive screen usage and engage in sports, physical activities, social responsibility and other constructive pursuits.

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It also highlighted upcoming initiatives centred on the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the 650th birth anniversary of Sant Ravidas and the contribution of Veerangana Rani Abbakka. ABVP's women's safety and empowerment initiative, Mission Sahasi, also figured in the discussions, with the delegation saying more than 10 lakh female students have received self-defence training under the programme. Plans to relaunch the next phase of Mission Sahasi on a nationwide scale were also shared, according to the statement.

"The meeting with the Vice President was highly meaningful and inspiring. We had extensive discussions on ABVP's diverse organisational initiatives, the completion of 60 years of SEIL, the 'Screen Time to Activity Time' campaign, Mission Sahasi, and several issues related to the holistic development of students and their positive role in national life," Solanki said. "Important concerns related to Panjab University were also raised prominently.

These included student representation in the University Senate, expansion of hostel facilities, regular appointments to vacant teaching positions, establishment of a centre for Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies, and the need for Yoga and Mindfulness Centres to support students' mental health," he said. "ABVP firmly believes that higher educational institutions must ensure a quality academic environment, adequate student facilities, and a participatory and transparent administrative framework.

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We are confident that this constructive dialogue with the Vice President will provide renewed momentum to student welfare, youth empowerment, national rejuvenation, and the resolution of important issues concerning Panjab University," he added. The delegation also included ABVP national joint organising secretary S Balakrishna, national secretaries Kshama Sharma, Payal Kinake and Aditya Takiyar, former Delhi University Students' Union secretary Mitravrinda Karnwal and Panjab University Students' Union president Gauravveer Sohal.