JNU Polls 2025-26: With voting set for tomorrow, here's a look at the last five presidents who led the student body

JNU Polls 2025-26: As Jawaharlal Nehru University prepares to vote tomorrow, anticipation on campus has reached a familiar intensity. The Election Committee has begun the final leg of one of India’s most closely watched student elections, reaffirming the university’s legacy as a crucible of political debate, and ideological expression.

With the publication of the voters’ list, the filing of nominations, campaigns, and the Presidential debate, now culminating in polling on November 4, 2025, the stage is set for a contest that extends well beyond campus boundaries. For decades, JNU has mirrored the ideological undercurrents of national politics, where alliances, slogans, and student manifestos often prefigure shifts in the wider political landscape.

This year’s election for the four key offices of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union ( JNUSU ): President, Vice President, General Secretary, and Joint Secretary, arrives at a moment when student voices remain central to public discourse. Ahead of polling day, here is a look at the last five presidents who led the student body, each representing a phase in JNU’s evolving political culture.

Last ten JNUSU Presidents
Over the past years these 5 presidents have shaped the direction of student politics at JNU.


A legacy of ideas and influence
Notable past presidents such as Sitaram Yechury (1977-1978), Shakeel Ahmed Khan (1992-1993), and Syed Naseer Hussain (1999-2000) have gone on to play significant roles in national politics, underscoring how the JNUSU presidency often serves as a proving ground for future leadership.

This year's contestants and alliances
According to the committee, seven students are in the fray for the post of president, three for vice-president, five for general secretary, and five for joint secretary. Additionally, 111 valid nominations have been confirmed for the councillor positions across JNU’s 18 centres. This year’s election will see a triangular contest between the Left alliance, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad ( ABVP ), and National Students’ Union of India ( NSUI ), along with several independent and smaller group contestants.

The ABVP has fielded Vikas Patel for president, Tanya Kumari for vice-president, Rajeshwar Kant Dubey for general secretary, and Anuj Damara for joint secretary.

The Left alliance, comprising AISA , SFI , and DSF, has nominated Aditi Mishra for president, Gopika Babu for vice-president, Sunil Yadav for general secretary, and Danish Ali for joint secretary.

Meanwhile, the NSUI has put forward Vikash Bishnoi for president, Shaikh Shahnavaz Alam for vice-president, Preeti for general secretary, and Kuldeep Ojha for joint secretary.

Outside these major alliances, AISF is contesting independently with Gopikrishnan U running for the general secretary’s post. From the Ambedkarite platform BAPSA, Raj Ratan Rajoria is contesting for president and Shuaib Khan for general secretary. DISHA has fielded Shirshava Indu for president, while the Progressive Students' Association has put up Shinde Vijayalaxmi for the same post.

Countdown to November 4
As students prepare to cast their votes tomorrow, the forthcoming results will determine more than just the next set of office-bearers. The elections will also reflect the pulse of a politically conscious student community, continuing JNU’s legacy as a crucible of ideas, activism, and leadership.