Nurturing Haryana's Future: A Comprehensive Review of ICDS and Roadmap for Action

 Since its inception on October 2, 1975, the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) has served as India's flagship response to childhood malnutrition and early development gaps. In Haryana, ICDS has transformed significantly over nearly five decades, with measurable gains but also persistent challenges that demand urgent attention.

Origins and Objectives of ICDS

Launched in 1975, ICDS was designed to break the vicious cycle of malnutrition, morbidity, and mortality among young children and mothers. It provides a crucial package of services:

1. Supplementary Nutrition (SNP): For children (0–6 years) and pregnant/lactating women.

2. Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE): Fostering cognitive and social development.

3. Health Services: Including immunization, health checks, and timely referrals.

4. Nutrition and Health Counselling: Empowering mothers and caregivers with vital knowledge.

Today, Haryana operates 25,962 Anganwadi Centers (AWCs) under ICDS, leveraging a 50:50 Centre–State funding model, reaching millions of beneficiaries with these essential services.

Progress Over Time: Nutritional Gains

Haryana has witnessed substantial improvements in child nutrition since the inception of ICDS, as evidenced by National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data:

Indicator (<5 yrs)	~1992/2005 (NFHS-3)	NFHS-4 (2015–16)	NFHS-5 (2019–21)
Stunting	~50% (est.)	~34.0%	27.5%
Wasting	~18%	~21%	11.5%
Underweight	~53%	~29.4%	21.5%

Key observations:

1. Significant Decline in Stunting: The prevalence of stunting (children too short for their age) has plummeted by over 22 percentage points since the early ICDS years, a strong indicator of improved long-term nutritional status.

2. Halved Underweight Prevalence: The proportion of underweight children has been more than halved, demonstrating the efficacy of SNP and health interventions in addressing overall nutritional deficits.

3. Wasting Under Control (Mostly): Wasting (acute malnutrition, indicating recent weight loss) which was once stubbornly high, has seen a remarkable reduction to 11.5% in Haryana, now significantly below the national average of 19.3%. This suggests better management of acute nutritional challenges in the state.

4. This progress reflects decades of sustained policy commitment, enhanced food security, and targeted nutrition schemes that have incrementally built a stronger foundation for child health in Haryana.

Major Achievements and Strengths

Haryana's ICDS program has numerous commendable strengths:

1. Large-scale Reach: The program effectively covers a vast population, with approximately 9.26 lakh children and 2.66 lakh pregnant/lactating women receiving monthly supplementary nutrition.

2. Nutrient-Rich SNP: The provision of scientifically formulated SNP ensures children receive around 500 kcal and 12–15 gm protein daily,with increased provisions of 800 kcal and 20–25 gm protein for Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) cases.

3. Fortified Food Initiatives: To combat hidden hunger and micronutrient deficiencies, foods like Panjiri, wheat flour, rice, oil, and salt are being fortified, enhancing the nutritional value of the diet.

4. Infrastructure Upgrades: Modernization efforts include the use of mobile devices, installation of solar power at AWCs, improved growth monitors, and the construction of cleaner, more conducive AWC buildings.

5. Program Integration: ICDS in Haryana has successfully integrated with crucial initiatives such as Poshan Abhiyaan, the Mukhya Mantri Doodh Uphaar Yojana, Protein Milk Bar and Instant Kheer Mixture and creche facilities for working women, fostering a holistic approach to child development.

6. Digitization Efforts: The implementation of the Poshan Tracker mobile app is a significant step towards real-time growth monitoring and more efficient supply chain management.

Comparing NFHS-5 to National Averages

Haryana demonstrates strong performance compared to national averages across most child nutrition indicators in NFHS-5 (2019-21):

1. Stunting: 27.5% in Haryana vs. 35.5% nationally.

2. Wasting: 11.5% in Haryana vs. 19.3% nationally.

3. Underweight: 21.5% in Haryana vs. 32.1% nationally.

While these state-level averages are impressive, it is crucial to acknowledge that they often mask significant district-level disparities. Certain areas within Haryana continue to report persistently high rates of malnutrition, highlighting the need for more targeted interventions.

Bottlenecks and Shortcomings

Despite the evident improvements, several serious challenges continue to hinder ICDS from achieving its full potential in Haryana:

1. Persistent Acute Malnutrition: The prevalence of SAM remains unacceptably high at approximately 7.7%. While overall wasting has reduced, the reduction is uneven across districts, indicating that specific areas or populations are still highly vulnerable.

2. Irregular Attendance & Data Quality: Despite the push for digitization with Poshan Tracker, many AWCs report inconsistent child attendance. Furthermore, data entry is often incomplete, inaccurate, or, critically, unused for informed planning and corrective action.

3. Weak Monitoring and Accountability: Growth monitoring, a cornerstone of early identification, is often superficial. Supervisory field visits are irregular, and district-level reviews often lack the urgency required to address performance gaps. Incorrectly installed height charts also lead to erroneous data.

4. Staffing and Training Gaps: Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Helper (AWHs) face high attrition rates, particularly in difficult-to-reach areas. Overburdened with multiple responsibilities, they often receive minimal refresher training, impacting their effectiveness. Weak motivation and irregular incentives further exacerbate these issues.

5. Fragmented Service Integration: Critical gaps persist in the convergence between ICDS and the Health Department, limiting the effectiveness of immunization drives and timely referrals. This siloed approach especially affects the comprehensive management of SAM/MAM cases.

6. Uniform Budget Allocations: The current funding model often applies a one-size-fits-all approach, failing to account for specific local needs. Districts with higher malnutrition burdens lack the tailored resources required to implement effective, context-specific interventions.

Role of Anganwadi Workers: The Backbone of ICDS

The success of ICDS hinges directly on the dedication and effectiveness of its front-line workers: the Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Helpers. They are the pivotal agents delivering:

i. Daily SNP meals

ii. Monthly growth monitoring (weight and height)

iii. Preschool education activities

iv. Health and nutrition counselling

v. Referrals for essential medical care

vi. Data reporting via the mobile-enabled Poshan Tracker

However, their effectiveness is frequently constrained by:

i. Inadequate initial and refresher training

ii. Low or irregular incentives

iii. Sub-optimal AWC infrastructure

iv. An overwhelming workload without adequate supportive  supervision

Despite their pivotal role in India's Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program, the ground reality of Anganwadi Centers (AWCs) in Haryana paints a concerning picture of systemic inefficiencies, operational lapses, and a significant erosion of public trust. While the vision for these centers is noble, their current working culture and oversight mechanisms appear to fall far short of the mark, directly impacting the well-being of the most vulnerable beneficiaries.

One of the most fundamental issues plaguing Anganwadis in Haryana is the erratic opening times and the consequent low attendance of children. Many centers routinely fail to open on schedule, if at all, effectively denying children the crucial early childhood care and education they are meant to receive. This absenteeism is mirrored in the dismal attendance records of children, indicating that the AWCs are often not perceived as reliable or beneficial spaces by the community.

The core mandate of providing supplementary nutrition (SNP) is also severely undermined. There is widespread concern regarding the erratic distribution of SNP items, with beneficiaries often receiving supplies inconsistently or in incorrect quantities. Compounding this, the maintenance of records for supplies received and distributed is often abysmal, creating a lack of transparency and making accountability nearly impossible. Furthermore, there is a glaring failure in the segregation of SNP items based on expiry dates, leading to the risk of distributing expired or near-expired food, which is not only wasteful but also a potential health hazard. This lax approach to inventory management suggests a fundamental disregard for beneficiary safety and program integrity.

Beyond nutrition, the educational component of ICDS is severely neglected. Despite the clear mandate of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the curriculum specifically devised by the department, pre-school education is often not provided in a structured or meaningful manner. This failure deprives young children of critical early learning opportunities, impacting their cognitive development and readiness for formal schooling.

Technological aids, meant to enhance efficiency and accountability, are also underutilized. Growth Monitoring Devices (GMDs), crucial for tracking children's development, are not used as per protocol. Instead, data is frequently entered without real-time measurements, leading to inaccurate records that mask the true extent of malnutrition and hinder effective intervention strategies. This practice breeds a culture of data manipulation rather than genuine monitoring.

The cumulative effect of these operational failures has led to a significant loss of trust among the general public. Anganwadis, instead of being seen as pillars of community support, are now generally blamed for syphoning and misuses of SNP items meant for children and beneficiaries. This perception, whether entirely accurate or not, points to a deep-seated issue of accountability and ethical conduct within the system.

A deeply concerning paradox lies in the remuneration of Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Helpers (AWHs). Despite being among the most highly paid in the country, their work culture appears to be at the lowest ebb. There is a prevailing sentiment that these frontline workers are more interested in their perks and least responsive to the service they are employed to provide. This detachment from their core duties significantly cripples the program's effectiveness at the grassroots level.

This pervasive malaise is not just a fault of the frontline workers; it points to a catastrophic breakdown in the supervisory and monitoring chain. Supervision of Anganwadis by supervisors is lamentably poor, often conducted in a "cryptic manner" – implying perfunctory, box-ticking exercises rather than genuine oversight. The ICDS manuals clearly mandate stringent monitoring by Women and Child Development Project Officers (WCDPOs) and District Program Officers (DPOs), yet such monitoring is conspicuously absent or superficial. There is a systemic failure to forward actual, ground-truth reports to the Directorate, leading to a distorted picture of reality at the higher echelons. Ultimately, this points to a failure of the Directorate itself to hold field functionaries strictly to task, creating an environment where accountability is routinely circumvented and the vital objectives of the ICDS program remain tragically unmet.

Policy and Implementation Gaps

Beyond the operational challenges, deeper systemic and policy gaps contribute to the persisting issues:

1. Data Use is Weak: The valuable data captured by the Poshan Tracker is frequently under-analyzed and rarely translated into immediate, targeted interventions at the ground level. 

2. Accountability is Minimal: There is often a noticeable lack of accountability among district officials for poor-performing AWCs or for failing to address documented issues.

3. Fragmented Design: ICDS and health services, despite their overlapping goals, often operate in silos, leading to missed opportunities for synergistic impact.

4. Uniform Budgets: The "one-size-fits-all" funding approach fails to adequately prioritize and allocate resources to high-burden areas where they are most desperately needed.

The Way Forward: Urgent Reforms Needed

To truly meet SDG targets and national nutrition goals, Haryana must adopt a multi-pronged approach rooted in urgency and accountability:

1. Enforce Monthly AWC Audits: Implement rigorous, regular audits to verify SNP stock, attendance registers, and the accuracy of growth data.

2. Strengthen Referrals and Health Convergence: Establish seamless, mandated linkages between ICDS and health facilities to ensure timely care for SAM/MAM cases, immunization, and other medical needs.

3. Tailor Budgets to Need: Develop a data-driven budget allocation model that provides higher resources and flexibility to districts and blocks with  disproportionately high malnutrition burdens.

4. Digitize and Verify Delivery: Fully leverage technology by implementing e-tendering for SNP supplies and mandating e-KYC for beneficiary verification at AWCs to ensure transparency and prevent leakages.

5. Empower AWWs and Helpers: Significantly improve incentives, provide high-quality and regular refresher training, ensure timely payments, and reduce administrative burdens to enhance their motivation and effectiveness.

6. Demand Accountability: Set clear performance targets for districts and implement consequences for repeated neglect or failure to meet nutritional outcomes.

7. Promote Community Participation: Actively involve Panchayati Raj Institutions, mothers' groups, and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in the monitoring and oversight of AWC operations and SNP delivery.

Conclusion

Haryana’s ICDS story is one of impressive progress, yet also an unfinished mission. While the state has made significant strides in reducing stunting and underweight rates, as evidenced by NFHS data, pockets of acute malnutrition, issues with attendance, weak data utilization, and uneven service delivery persist.

To truly transform child nutrition and development, Haryana needs a focused, accountable, well-funded, and community-driven ICDS system. With concerted political will and administrative urgency, ICDS can fully deliver on its founding promise: a generation of children who are healthy, well-nourished, and ready to learn. By investing deeply in its youngest citizens, Haryana can set a powerful example for the nation—proving that no child should ever be left behind.

References 

1. Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India. (Often found in annual reports and scheme guidelines)

2. Wikipedia. "Integrated Child Development Services." en.wikipedia.org. (Provides general historical context).

3. C4S Courses. "Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS): Objectives, Services & Impact on Child Welfare." c4scourses.in.

4. Women and Child Development Department, Haryana. "Integrated Child Development Scheme." wcdhry.gov.in. Available at: https://wcdhry.gov.in/schemes-for-children/icds/

5. https://www.dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/OF43/OF43.HR.pdf (Primary source for Haryana's NFHS-4 and NFHS-5 data on stunting, wasting, underweight)

6. https://ruralindiaonline.org/en/library/resource/national-family-health-survey-nfhs-4-2015-16-haryana/ 

7. SlideShare. "NFHS 3 | PPT." slideshare.net.

8. Press Information Bureau (PIB), Government of India. "Progress Under POSHAN Abhiyaan." pib.gov.in.

9. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/387501279_Clinical_And_Socio-Demographic_Profile_Of_Chidren_Aged_6-59_Month_With_Severe_Acute_Malnutrition_Presenting_In_A_Tertiary_Care_Hospital_In_Nuh_Haryana

10. Women and Child Development Department, Haryana. "Integrated Child Development Scheme." wcdhry.gov.in. Available at: https://wcdhry.gov.in/schemes-for-children/icds/

11. Press Information Bureau (PIB), Government of India. "Implementation Of POSHAN Abhiyan Scheme." pib.gov.in. Available at: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1814093

12. Food Fortification Initiative (FFI). "India - Food Fortification Initiative." ffinetwork.org. Available at: https://www.ffinetwork.org/india-region

13. Press Information Bureau (PIB), Government of India. "Progress Under POSHAN Abhiyaan." pib.gov.in. Available at: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1814093

14. "Mukhyamantri Doodh Uphaar Yojana Haryana." Available at: https://abhipedia.abhimanu.com/Article/STATE/NTIzNzYx/Mukhyamantri-Doodh-Uphaar-Yojana-Haryana-STATE

15. Women and Child Development Department, Haryana. "Haryana Creches." wcdhry.gov.in. Available at: https://wcdhry.gov.in/haryana-creches/

16. National AYUSH Mission (NAM). "Ayush Services." Available at: https://namayush.gov.in/content/ayush-services-0

The HAU Student Movement 2025: A Historic Triumph of Unity and Resolve in Haryana

    On the night of July 1, 2025, the weeks-long students 'agitation at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (HAU), Hisar, ended in triumph. After 21 days of disciplined protest, the students secured a written agreement from the university authorities restoring stipend/merit scholarships and Land Donation Villages (LDV) seats to their previous status, along with assurances of action against those responsible for assaulting peaceful demonstrators.

This victory is far more than an administrative concession—it is a powerful testament to the unity, courage, and democratic resolve of Haryana’s student community. It is also a milestone in the long and often turbulent history of student movements in the state.

Historical Context: Student Movements in Haryana

Haryana has a rich tradition of student activism dating back to the pre-independence era, when students took part in the freedom struggle. Post-independence, student movements continued to shape the state’s social and political fabric.

The Emergency period (1975–77) stands out as a defining moment: students across Haryana mobilized to resist authoritarianism and defend civil liberties. A strong movement under the banner of Haryana Students Union (HSU) spearheaded in the state under the dynamic leadership of Prithvi Singh Gorkhpuria, Shradhanand Solanki, Balbir Dahia and many other students leaders of different degree colleges and the universities. The protests against emergency and curb on civil liberties were led by Inderjeet Singh and Mahabir Narwal. Both these students leaders were arrested during the emergency and imprisoned for 18 months. In the first direct election held for students council, Inderjeet Singh elected its first president. He was later expelled from the university and he joined the people’s movement and he is now a distinguished Farmers leader who led the farmers of Haryana at Tikri Border against three draconian laws against the farmer community. Phool Singh Seokand was another prominent student leader pre-1980. He later on led a strong movement of employees of Haryana in 1987 and taken fast unto death for more than 55 days for the rights and genuine issues of employees. He is now a prominent Kisan leader of Haryana.  

In the 1980s and 90s, HAU itself became a crucible of student politics. Agitations for better scholarships, improved hostel facilities, and employment opportunities left a lasting imprint on campus culture. Virender Malik, O.P. Sihag, Bijender Sharma—emerged from these struggles, going on to play important roles in Haryana’s politics and public life. Historically, such movements drew strength from cross-caste solidarity and a shared student identity. While Haryana’s social fabric is complex and sometimes fractured along caste lines, its student movements have often transcended these divisions in the pursuit of common goals.

The 2025 HAU Agitation: Sparks and Spread and assault

The 2025 protest was triggered by students’ anger over the withdrawal or dilution of stipends/merit scholarships and the reduction of LDU seats—changes that disproportionately impacted economically weaker students and those from farming backgrounds.

A critical moment came when university security guards and some teachers assaulted students during their peaceful sit-in. Instead of intimidating the movement, this violence galvanized the students further, sparking outrage across the campus and beyond.

The administration’s response throughout was marked by evasion and pressure. Rather than engaging sincerely, it sought to divide, demoralize, and exhaust the protesters. The use of physical force and attempts to delay negotiations underscored a strategy of attrition rather than resolution.

After their peaceful representations were ignored, students launched an indefinite sit-in on June 10, 2025, determined to force the administration to restore their entitlements.

Unlike older movements often led by experienced union leaders, this agitation had no formal leadership at the outset. Its most remarkable feature was its organic, decentralized leadership. Young students learned on the ground—developing negotiation strategies, coordinating protests, and maintaining cohesion despite sustained pressure.

Resisting Divide-and-Rule Tactics

Perhaps the most instructive aspect of the 2025 movement was the way it confronted and overcame efforts to divide it along caste lines.

With the University’s Vice-Chancellor hailing from an OBC community, some attempted to brand the protest as “anti-OBC.” Had such narratives taken root, they might have fractured student unity along Haryana’s deeply entrenched social divisions which already charged after Jat Reservation Movement.

Instead, students showed striking maturity and clarity. They consistently asserted that their demands were purely academic and economic. They refused to allow anyone to communalize or caste-brand their protest. In doing so, they reasserted a universal student identity and demonstrated how disciplined communication and solidarity can defeat divide-and-rule politics.

This is a vital lesson for all popular movements in India today: unity on issues must override cynical attempts to sow division.

Broad-Based Support: Political, Social, and Legal

While students led the movement on the ground, they were not alone. Various social and political organizations provided critical moral, logistical, and media support.

The students organization of the students like SFI, AISA, NSUI, students wing of JJP and INLD extended their support to the the agitation and organized demonstration in different districts and campuses of the universities. The president of DUSU, students leaders from Ambedkar University and JNU visited the dharna site to extend their support. It was the breathing to the otherwise dying students movement in Haryana and will long way in connecting the students across the universities and colleges of the Haryana.  

Farmers and Employees Union come forward to support the agitation. In fact most of the students hail from rural Haryana and so, farmers and employees were deeply concerned as the students are their wards. Farmers with students organized a Nyaya Panchayat at the sit-in site.

Political parties except the ruling party whelm support this agitation by visiting the dhrana site and made this atrocities and assault on the students a state’s burning issue.

A significant role was played by the District Bar Association, Hisar, whose members offered legal aid to protect students from arbitrary disciplinary action and police intervention. Their involvement underscored the movement’s legal legitimacy and helped prevent repression.

Equally important was the support from HAU alumni, many of whom are now professionals across India and abroad. Former students offered solidarity, helped with strategy and fund raising, and reminded current students that they were part of a proud tradition of struggle and achievement.

Former Student Leaders: Rekindling a Legacy

Veteran student leaders of HAU—like Inderjeet Singh, Phool Singh Seokand, Virender Malik, O.P. Sihag, Bijender Sharma, and others—openly backed the movement. The other students leaders of yesteryear of Hisar and rest of Haryana come forward to support this movement which was emerged after 1996 on ban of elections of students council.

Their support was invaluable. It not only offered public legitimacy to the agitation but also provided institutional memory of how earlier movements had succeeded. Their messages reinforced morale at critical moments and helped prevent fragmentation or despair. Such inter-generational solidarity is a defining strength of Haryana’s student politics.

Role of HAUTA: A disgusting attitude

    Teacher-taught relationship has been great camaraderie of the HAU. Students and teachers of this university have always shown a great affinity and support to each other for the demands of each other, today's teacher was yesteryear student and has spent almost 8-10 years as student in the campus. Before an issue is raised and raked up, it has already been discussed in the informal manner in their day to day interactions. Unfortunately, the HAUTA not only remained aloof from this movement rather, aligned with the authorities to suppress and break the morale of the students. Office bearers of HAUTA were explicitly hand in glove with the authorities. It is more glaring to note that some of the teachers were involved in the attack on the students. The convention of long organic association of teachers was deliberately sabotaged by the vested interests who are at the helms of affair of the present day HAUTA. Although, its not surprising either as the HAUTA is represented by the elements who were never active in the students movements of their time and mostly remained docile. Interestingly, Teachers, Association of Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (LUVAS) which is led by a former student leader, Dr. Ashok Malik not only vocally support the agitation but also remain with the students during the whole process of agitation. Although some teachers of HAU in their individual capacity come forward to extend their all out support to the students. This new development of opposing a genuine protest spearheaded by the students by the HAUTA is a blot on the teachers of the HAU. Moreover, the Deans and Directors who have been the students of this very university failed to intervene constructively to resolve the impasse rather, plaint this movement as driven by the outside forces. They ostensibly sided with authorities to curb this democratic movement, which emerged because of attack on protesting students for their genuine issues.       

The Role of Government

Initially, the government seemed content to let the university administration manage the situation—even as it involved ignoring demands and using force against students.

Ultimately, however, sustained peaceful protest, legal pressure, and public support forced the administration to negotiate seriously. A ministerial committee of three ministers headed by Education Minister, Mahipal Dhanda was constituted to negotiate with agitating students, committee reached an agreement and announced in the media of resolution of the demands of the agitating students but didn’t release the agreement, in the line of old tactics of the present day dispensation who rules the state. Rather, handing over the written agreement, students were pressurized to vacate the dharna site, girls were seized in their hostels and basic amenities like food and water were curtailed. Under the new duress, farmers and students with the support of political parties and other social organizations announced to block all the four gates of university on 2nd July. Sensing the deterioration of law and order and diminishing prestige of the government, another round of negotiation initiated and Randhir Panihar, MLA was tasked to announce the agreement amongst the students on dharna site and a written orders were handed to the students in which major demands were accepted except removal of the Vice Chancellor. The resulting written agreement is a testament to the power of democratic mobilization.

This episode should serve as a lesson to all educational institutions and the state: dialogue and empathy must replace repression and evasion when students raise legitimate grievances.

Victory and Its Meaning

The final written settlement promises:
✅ Restoration of stipend/merit scholarships
✅ Restoration of LDV seats
✅ Action against those responsible for the assault on students

The students secured the restoration of stipend/merit scholarships and Land Donation Villages (LDV) seats as before, along with suspension of Sukhbir Singh, Security Officer, Transfer of Director Students welfare and other teachers who were involved in whole episode were transferred to some other places. However, the demand of removal of Vice Chancellor and  criminal proceedings against Registrar were not heeded upon. This culmination marks not only the resolution of pressing demands but also a significant milestone in the long, often turbulent, history of student movements in Haryana.

This victory is a clear vindication of the students’ demands and methods. It also stands as a warning against any future attempt to roll back student welfare measures without consultation.

More broadly, it reasserts the principle that student voices matter—and that attempts to ignore or suppress them will ultimately fail.

Lessons for the Future

The 2025 HAU student movement offers vital lessons for Haryana and beyond:

i. Leadership can emerge organically from the struggle itself

ii. Attempts to divide students on caste lines can be defeated through clear communication and disciplined unity.

iii. Broad community support—from alumni, lawyers, civil society—can transform a campus protest into a people’s movement.

iv. Inter-generational solidarity among past and present students is a powerful force.

v. This movement will inspire students across Haryana to recognize their collective strength and assert their rights fearlessly. It also exposes the limitations of “divide-and-rule” strategies that have too often blunted popular movements.

It is to be seen how the students of HAU payback this vital support they received from the different quarters and segments of the society. It is expected that they will support the genuine movements of students elsewhere in the state in particular and other organizations like farmers and employees in general.

The Challenge Ahead

With the agreement signed, the next task is ensuring its full and timely implementation. Students and their allies will need to remain vigilant, ensuring no participant faces retaliation and that promised actions are not diluted or delayed.

The students of HAU have set a new standard of courage, unity, and democratic discipline. Their example will inspire the next generation of leaders and ensure Haryana’s proud tradition of vibrant, principled student activism not only survives but thrives.

The importance of the election of the students council was raised by the former students leaders to formulate a vibrant platform for raising the common issues of the students and open a channel for taking up the genuine issues of the students to the authorities early and in appropriate manner. The basic issue although subsided in the din of charter of demands, but there is no permanent rectification until students councils are not constituted through the process of elections, democratically like in PU, JNU and DU. The gain of the today’s will not last long rather falter sooner in absence of the organized elected students councils. It is a new hope and bigger challenge before the students to think over it, organize and develop a concerted demand for the direct elections of the students council from the next session which is about to commence. The only long term solution for reckoning of the genuine issues warranted a strong student body in each and every campus across the Haryana.    

Bravo to these young fighters who paved the way. Their struggle proves once again: just demands, pursued with unity and conviction, will always find victory.