Srijan Bhattacharyya
THE 18th All India Conference of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) was held in Kozhikode, Kerala, from June 27-30, 2025. From the time the conference was decided to be held in Kerala, the SFI Kerala state committee launched a series of activities to spread the message of the conference and mobilise support. SFI activists visited over 25,000 homes across Kozhikode, bringing the message of the conference to the people. Seminars on various socially and politically relevant topics were organised at different locations across the state, alongside cultural gatherings including a film festival, drama festival, and exhibitions. Programmes such as the Girls’ Collective, Marathon, and Sports Competitions actively involved the student community in the lead-up to the conference.
The SFI Central Executive Committee also hosted a series of online seminars, live-streamed on Facebook, featuring prominent people as keynote speakers. On the eve of the conference, rallies bearing the flag, flagpole and martyr’s flame jatha reached the conference venue on June 26. The rally bearing the flag began from Com. Dheeraj Smriti Mandapam at Painavu Engineering College, Idukki; the rally bearing the flagpole started from Koothuparamba, home to Com. K V Sudheesh Raktasakshi Mandapam and the Martyr’s Flame jatha began at Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Thiruparankundram, where Com. Somu and Com. Simbu were martyred.
The three rallies converged in Kozhikode, where the flag was hoisted, marking the beginning of the conference. Hundreds of students braved the monsoon to welcome the rallies, underscoring the emotional and political significance of the moment. The rallies that began from the places of the martyrs of SFI in Kerala and Tamil Nadu were received with overwhelming enthusiasm, accompanied by hundreds of students who gathered, defying the harsh monsoon.
P A Muhammed Riyas, chairman of the Reception Committee, welcomed the gathering.
The delegate session of the conference began on June 27, 2025 at Palestine Solidarity Nagar, Sitaram Yechury-Nepaldeb Bhattacharya Manch, and was inaugurated by renowned journalist Shashi Kumar and noted theatre actor M K Raina. A huge rally and public meeting, attended by thousands, was held on June 30, 2025, and was inaugurated by Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala. The public meeting was also graced by the parents of Com. Dheeraj, who addressed the students and shared their experiences.
A total of 517 delegates, 198 observers, and 76 CEC members participated in the conference. Of the delegates, 70 per cent were male and 30 per cent were female, with inclusive representation also reflected in the presence of one transgender delegate and one delegate from the sexual minority community. Delegates came from diverse social backgrounds, highlighting SFI’s growing influence among marginalised and minority students. The delegation included 51 students from the minority communities, 41 delegates from tribal and 180 delegates from dalit communities. Most participants were between 24 and 30 years old, and represented various academic levels – primarily undergraduate and postgraduate students, along with 20 PhD scholars and around 40 students pursuing professional courses such as law and medicine.
A powerful feature of the conference was the participation of students who had been targeted, attacked, jailed, or threatened – their stories served as sources of strength and inspiration for the delegates to work relentlessly for their rights.
The working report was presented by Mayukh Biswas, General Secretary of SFI, and was followed by an elaborate discussion. Delegates then broke into group discussions based on their respective state delegations. In total, 82 delegates, including 32 women, participated in the general discussion, which lasted for seven and a half hours. The discussion covered a wide range of social and political issues at the regional and national level, raising serious concerns over the National Education Policy that aims to commercialise and communalise the country’s education sector. Delegates expressed strong concern over the deterioration of quality education in India, citing inadequate infrastructure, faculty shortages, and increasing dropout rates.
A key theme was the impact of privatisation, as right-wing governments continue to grant unchecked autonomy to private institutions, undermining public education – the only viable option for students from socially and geographically marginalised backgrounds. Delegates also discussed the frequent fee hikes, a widespread issue confronting students across the country, and the closure of public schools, calling for a nationwide movement to resist these trends.
The imposition of a communal agenda through the education system by the BJP-led central government was a major focus. Delegates denounced the Manuwadi character of the current educational policies, which continue to marginalise SC, ST, minority students, and girls, exacerbating inequalities in access and experience.
The discussions also called for a need to organise the working students and the students in private institutions. The student movements demanding justice at AUD, HCU and RG Kar have deeply inspired the delegates to carry forward the struggles in their respective states.
On June 27, the conference was addressed by leaders of various Left student and mass organisations. P K Sreemati spoke on behalf of AIDWA, Vijoo Krishnan represented AIKS, Elamaram Kareem addressed the delegates from CITU, and A A Rahim spoke on behalf of DYFI – all calling for a united fight against the BJP-led central government.
A special session brought together former All India leaders of SFI, including Biman Bose, Prakash Karat, M A Baby, Nilotpal Basu, A Vijayaraghavan, Y Venkateswara Rao, K N Balagopal, P Krishnaprasad, K K Ragesh, R Arun Kumar, P K Biju, V Sivadasan, and Vikram Singh. Sharing their memories and experiences, these former leaders inspired the new generation of delegates to carry forward the legacy of struggle.
A special recognition award was presented, on behalf of Com. Subhash Chakraborty's family, to Sugrib Mande, a tribal delegate from Maharashtra, for his remarkable achievement of climbing Mount Everest under extremely challenging conditions. Family members of SFI martyrs also visited the venue, offering their solidarity and greetings to the conference.
A special edition of Student Struggle and the Student Struggle Science Journal, which is a new addition to the publications, were released. A booklet titled Blazing Stars, chronicling the timeline of SFI martyrs, was distributed. The draft of the Commission on Education was also circulated among the delegates for discussion and feedback.
The conference extended strong solidarity to Palestine, with a special video message from the Ambassador of Palestine expressing support and greetings.
In total, 38 resolutions were passed, covering issues such as resistance to privatisation and communalisation of education, solidarity with the people of Palestine and Cuba, the demand for employment for all, and the environmental crisis.
An 87-member Central Executive Committee (CEC) was elected, representing 29 states and sub-committees, with eight vacancies and one permanent invitee. Adarsh M Saji was elected as President, and Srijan Bhattacharyya as the General Secretary of the SFI.
The conference concluded with a renewed commitment to fight for a democratic and secular India. Its primary task is to resist the BJP-RSS assault on the education sector and to defend constitutional rights. The struggle against NEP 2020 will be strengthened while developing and popularising an alternative education policy among students.
A particular focus will be placed on expanding the organisation, especially to the Hindi-speaking belt,
by taking up regular activities to engage the student community and organising them in their struggle for a just education system. Reaching out to students from socio-economically marginalised and oppressed sections will be prioritised by including them and standing with them in their struggles. The central universities and institutions operated by the central governments, where there is a deliberate attempt to curb democratic rights and destroy the secular fabric, will be given great focus, and there will be stronger efforts to establish units in such institutions. The conference is committed to paying significant attention to formulating new methods and strategies to reach out to a wider student community and to organise them.
The 18th All India Conference of SFI, held in Kozhikode, was an enriching experience for the many young activists who participated, strengthening their resolve to uphold the legacy of the movement. The conference was a reaffirmation of the SFI's unwavering commitment to defending the rights of students and advancing the struggles for education, equality, and justice.
