Abdul Waheed, a research scholar in the Department of Urdu and a candidate for President in the AMU Students’ Union (AMUSU) election 2026-27, has released a 14-page manifesto with ten commitments, from hostels and fees to legal aid, the Union fund and AMU’s minority character. He is one of nine candidates for President, and polling is on 5 November.
In a note at the start, Waheed says he has seen “hostels fall short, fees rise without a hearing and students suspended without being heard”, and that students “deserve a union that answers to them”. His campaign slogan is “Represent, Listen, Resolve”.
Abdul Waheed’s 10 commitments at a glance
| No. | Area | Headline promise |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Student rights and legal aid | No punishment without a fair hearing |
| 2 | Hostels and infrastructure | A new hostel of 2,000 beds and renovated hostels |
| 3 | Fees and admissions | No fee hike without students at the table |
| 4 | Ph.D. and research | Clear timelines and better support for scholars |
| 5 | Academics and careers | Recognised degrees and better placements |
| 6 | Health cover and sports | Medical insurance of at least Rs 5 lakh per student |
| 7 | Inclusion and representation | Fair representation and safety on campus |
| 8 | Transparency and merit | Merit-based posts and open accounts |
| 9 | AMU’s character, land and governance | Defend AMU’s minority character and land |
| 10 | Beyond the campus | Standing with students beyond Aligarh |
1. Student rights and legal aid
- A show-cause notice and a hearing before any suspension
- Free legal aid for students in all courts, including the High Court and Supreme Court, through a panel of senior lawyers
- No coercive action for activism; peaceful dissent on campus not to be treated as a crime
- Removal of the Lyngdoh conditions that limit how many times a student can contest and that disqualify candidates over disciplinary action
2. Hostels and infrastructure
- A roadmap for a new hostel of at least 2,000 beds before the next session
- Renovation of all existing hostels
- New buildings that match AMU’s heritage architecture
3. Fees and admissions
- Students to be heard by the Academic Council before any change to the fee structure
- Lower fees for regular courses, and a review of fees in self-financed (SFS) courses, which the manifesto calls inflated
- A cap on nomination admissions and their fees
4. Ph.D. and research
- Clear timelines for coursework, thesis submission and external reviewer reports
- A higher stipend and better support for research resources
- Hostel accommodation until the degree is awarded
- An end to the harassment of research scholars
5. Academics and careers
- Strict adherence to the academic calendar
- Recognition of all courses and degrees by the relevant statutory bodies, with clear nomenclature and sanctioned seats
- An AMUSU Recruitment Cell built on data of AMU alumni across the world
- MoUs and exchange programmes with leading foreign universities
6. Health cover and sports
- Medical insurance of at least Rs 5 lakh for every student, to be raised over time
- Free tests and diagnosis, with better facilities
- A sports complex, with a separate one for women students
- Financial aid for players and support for sports tours
7. Inclusion and representation
- Women’s representation on the Delhi University model: a separate union, with the right to vote and be represented in AMUSU
- A review of the split between AMUSU and the Women’s College Students’ Union (WCSU) against the Lyngdoh recommendations
- Reserved seats for specially abled students in the Union executive, and a disabled-friendly campus
- Safety for every student community, which the manifesto lists as Dalit, Kashmiri, women, hijabi, North Eastern and South Indian students
8. Transparency and merit
- Transparent, merit-based appointments to hall and faculty posts, and an end to nepotism and favouritism
- Fair and equal treatment of students by teachers
- Audits of Union expenses and student funds, with a full account of what the manifesto puts at about Rs 2.5 crore in the Union fund
- Correct and timely replies to RTI applications, and impartial inquiry into corruption allegations
The Union fund figure is the candidate’s own. AMU has not published accounts of the fund. In 2020, a former AMUSU president put the unused balance at about Rs 22 to 26 lakh. Read our report on Waheed’s question on the Union budget.
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9. AMU’s character, land and governance
- A roadmap to defend AMU’s minority character through legal and negotiated routes, with AMUSU support for students before the Supreme Court
- Mark and fence AMU land at every location, remove encroachments, settle land disputes and act against negligent officials
- AMU Court meetings at least once a month, with a real say for students, including in the election of the Chancellor and members of the Academic Council and Executive Council
- AMUSU, WCSU and Court elections fixed in next year’s academic calendar, released before this Union’s term ends
10. Beyond the campus
- Coordination with other campuses and raising issues of other institutions
- Support for restoring student unions in every institution in the country
- A voice for AMU’s off-campus centres
Under “Our Stand”, the manifesto says he is against the National Education Policy (NEP), the privatisation of education and the “saffronisation of campuses”, and for the Rohith Act. It also states opposition to mob lynching and bulldozer action, and support for press freedom and an independent judiciary.
About the candidate
- Course: Ph.D., Department of Urdu, AMU
- Post: President, AMUSU 2026-27
- Ballot: No. 3, as per his campaign
The race for AMUSU President
Nine candidates are contesting for President: Mohammad Zuhair Ahmad, Amina Irshad, Mohd Intkhab, Abdul Waheed, Mohd Noman Ashraf, Sharjeel Iqbal, Sahil Khan, Sharjeel Mohammad Khan and Asmar Faridi. See every candidate in the AMUSU 2026 final candidate list.
The Aligarian does not support any candidate. We publish candidates’ own statements and manifestos so voters can compare them. Any AMUSU 2026-27 candidate can send us their manifesto, and we will cover it in the same way.
AMUSU 2026: polling day
- Polling: Thursday, 5 November 2026, 9 am to 5 pm, at the faculties
- Counting: from 6 pm the same day
Read more: Mohd Intkhab’s pitch for President, Mohammad Hamdan’s manifesto for Secretary, the AMUSU 2026-27 page and our reader poll.
Frequently asked questions
What are Abdul Waheed’s main promises for AMUSU President?
His manifesto has ten commitments, including a hearing before any suspension, free legal aid, a 2,000-bed hostel, no fee hike without student consultation, Rs 5 lakh medical insurance per student and audits of the Union fund.
What does Abdul Waheed say about the AMUSU fund?
He promises audits of Union expenses and a full account of the Union fund, which his manifesto puts at about Rs 2.5 crore. AMU has not published figures for the fund.
Who is Abdul Waheed?
Abdul Waheed is a research scholar in the Department of Urdu at AMU and a candidate for President in the AMUSU 2026-27 election.
When is the AMUSU election 2026?
Polling is on Thursday, 5 November 2026, from 9 am to 5 pm, with counting from 6 pm.
Source: Abdul Waheed’s 14-page manifesto (PDF), shared by his campaign with The Aligarian; official final candidate list, Office of the Chief Election Officer, AMUSU/Court.
