Vinod Jakhar was on Friday appointed as the National President of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress party.
Vinod Jakhar replaces Varun Choudhary. His appointment was approved by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge following a selection process involving interviews with senior leadership, including Rahul Gandhi.
1- Vinod Jakhar’s appointment marks a significant milestone in his political career as he is the first leader from Rajasthan to head the NSUI at the national level.
2- Born on 7 September 1994, in the Viratnagar tehsil of Jaipur district, Rajasthan, Vinod comes from a modest background. His father worked as a mason.
Vinod holds a BA in Political Science and an MA in Sociology, which he completed in 2017. Vinod is also pursuing an MA in Rajasthani.
Rise in Student Politics
Vinod rose to prominence in student politics in 2014 after he was elected President of Rajasthan College. In 2018, after being denied a ticket by the NSUI for the Rajasthan University (RU) student union elections, he contested as an independent and won, becoming the first Dalit president in the university’s 70-year history.
3- In January 2024, Vinod was appointed State President of Rajasthan NSUI.
4- Vinod has been a vocal advocate for the resumption of student union elections in Rajasthan and was part of an 800-kilometre cycle yatra against drug abuse in the past.
Controversies
5- In 2025, Vinod Jakhar participated in protests against a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) event at Rajasthan University, leading to his arrest and, in October 2025, bail from the Rajasthan High Court. The RSS is the idealogical fountainhead of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Despite facing a “show cause” notice in January 2026 regarding unauthorised appointments within the state unit, he emerged as the top choice for the national role.
“NSUI will further strengthen its commitment to student rights, social justice, and democratic values across the nation. Together, we move forward stronger,” the NSUI said in a post after the announcement on Friday.
All About NSUI
The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) is the student wing of the Indian National Congress. It was established on 9 April 1971by Indira Gandhi, who merged the Kerala Students Union and the West Bengal State Chhatra Parishad to form a national students’ organisation. Varun Choudhary was the National President of NSUI before Vinod’s appointment.
Millions of students have their hopes attached to NSUI.
With 4 million members and a presence in 15,000 colleges across the country, NSUI is said to be the world’s largest students’ union.
“Thank you all for your support. Best wishes to the new NSUI National President, Vinod Jakhar. The baton has been passed. Millions of students have their hopes attached to NSUI. I wish you the very best in fulfilling those aspirations, standing firmly for social justice, and protecting the Idea of India,” the former NSUI president Varun said in a post.
