Report: S. Muneer
Aligarh: As part of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Women’s College Students’ Union Elections 2026, a final speech session was held at the college auditorium on Tuesday. Candidates contesting for the posts of President, Vice-President and Secretary presented their election agendas, priorities and future plans before the students. The speeches prominently highlighted issues such as students’ rights, equal opportunities, participation in decision-making, representation in the AMU Students’ Union, basic facilities in hostels and improvement of the academic environment. Six candidates for the post of President, four for Vice-President and five for Secretary delivered their speeches. The university administration had assigned the topic “The Role of Women Students in Nation-Building” for the candidates’ speeches.
Candidate for the post of President Ayesha Jamal, said that although women’s empowerment is frequently discussed, its actual implementation at the grassroots level needs to be examined. No educational institution can succeed unless half of the population is granted its full rights. She said that female students must be given not only representation but also the right to participate in decision-making. She added that they must protect their rights and should not allow anyone to deprive them of these rights.Ruqaiya Khan said that the voice of students cannot be suppressed. She said that female students of the college are treated as a minority, but are not granted their due rights. She demanded 35 per cent reservation for girls in the AMU Students’ Union and promised to work towards fulfilling their basic needs.Anam Riaz emphasised increasing the representation of female students. She demanded 33 per cent reservation for Women’s College students in the AMU Students’ Union and said that she would strive to ensure it. Referring to the shortage of basic facilities, from the college to the hostels, she promised to work towards ensuring accountability and assigning responsibilities after winning the election.Tamanna Muzaffar said that they were demanding only their rights and recognition of their strength. They should receive all the rights that have been prescribed for them. The purpose of a Students’ Union is to raise the voice of female students, and they would demonstrate this through their work.Maryam Naz, while emphasising equality, said that they would prove that elections could also be won by following the path of truth and justice. She also raised questions about the utilisation of funds allocated for various requirements.Tahura Shakeel said that the future of the country was linked to the university and the college. Women’s College had played an important role in nation-building. Raising the issue of the college’s representation in the AMU Students’ Union, she promised to work in this direction and make efforts to ensure that the students of Women’s College also became part of the union.
Candidate for the post of Vice-President Sania Siraj, said that leadership was not the exclusive domain of any one gender. Students must raise questions and speak up for their rights. She promised to act as a link between the administration and students to ensure that their needs were addressed. She added that she would not allow the voices of female students to be suppressed.Shama Fatima said that students needed equality, not sympathy, and promised to work towards ensuring equal rights if elected.Ayesha Khan promised to ensure electricity, water and other basic facilities in the hostels, along with resolving the problems faced by students at the college. Questioning the status of the Women’s Students’ Union (WSU), she asked why female students had not been made part of the AMU Students’ Union. She said that she would also include this issue in her agenda.Maryam Fatima questioned why female students were not being given equal rights. She promised to focus on providing basic facilities in the college and hostels to create a better academic environment. She also pledged to end groupism on the campus, making it clear that she was not a candidate representing any particular group.
Candidate for the post of Secretary Zoya Rahman,said in her speech that the development of a developing country or nation did not merely mean the construction of buildings, infrastructure and other material resources. Women’s education was equally important, as it formed the foundation of any society. She said that students at the college were pursuing education in various disciplines. This election was an opportunity to raise the voice of female students and ensure their rights; therefore, these issues needed special attention.Sania Khan said that the responsibility of girls was not limited to receiving education; they also had a role in making society better and more progressive. She emphasised equality, respect for traditions and the rights of female students. She also promised to increase the number of books in the library, improve infrastructure and ensure the availability of essential facilities in the hostels.Ruqaiya Khatoon questioned why female students had been deprived of a union for eight years and why students had been compelled to resort to hunger strikes. She promised to play her role in ensuring the necessary resources for the all-round development of female students.Zainab said that she would play a positive role in creating a better academic environment at the college and would take students’ problems to the administration and work towards their resolution.Maryam Jan promised that, if elected, she would ensure the participation of female students in the AMU Students’ Union. She said that no one could deprive them of this right and that they would create a new chapter in history.
The final speech session was attended by Women’s College Principal Professor Shafaqat Imtiaz, members of the Core Committee overseeing the election process, students and teachers. Chief Election Officer Professor Nazia Hasan informed that voting at the college would be held on November 5. Five polling booths have been set up for the purpose, where 4,080 female students will exercise their franchise to elect the President, Vice-President, eight Cabinet members and Court members. The results will be declared after the counting of votes on the same evening.Dr Farah Abidin, Dr Mansoor Alam and Dr Suhail played an important role in organising the final speech session. Earlier, the university’s Proctorial Team had also visited the college to review the election arrangements.