Former DUTA chief Aditya Narayan Mishra joins Congress, flags ‘crisis’ in education

Former Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) president Aditya Narayan Mishra, who has headed the teachers’ body three times, joined the Congress on Monday (September 14, 2026) along with some other academicians, saying the country’s education system was facing a serious crisis.

The organisation Academics for Action and Development (AAD) was also formally merged with the Congress.

Mr. Mishra joined the party in the presence of Delhi Congress in-charge Qazi Nizamuddin, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Devender Yadav, AICC Uttar Pradesh in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam and other party leaders. He has also served as president of the Federation of Central Universities Teachers Associations.

Welcoming Mr. Mishra and the other academicians, Mr. Nizamuddin said their joining was significant at a time when questions were being raised over the state of education and incidents of violence against students were being reported. He said Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had been consistently fighting for justice for students and that the intellectual contribution of the new entrants would strengthen the Congress.

Mr. Yadav said the country’s youth and students needed “proper direction and guidance”, adding that better leadership was essential to securing the country’s future.

Mr. Gautam said the decision to join the Congress was aimed at protecting democracy, the Constitution and the education system. He said Mr. Mishra had consistently raised the concerns of professors and students.

Mr. Gautam also alleged that crores of rupees were being spent on BJP-RSS programmes at Delhi University, and said the money could instead have been used to build hostels and prevent incidents such as the recent collapse at Satya Niketan.

Mr. Mishra said he and his colleagues had joined the Congress to “strengthen Rahul Gandhi’s hands”. Government educational institutions across the country were “under attack”, he said, adding that thousands of schools had been shut down.

“Rahul Gandhi is fighting to uphold government-funded institutions, as well as justice and dignity for everybody,” Mr. Mishra said. The education system was “crumbling”, he said, adding that he and his colleagues had joined the struggle to help pull the country out of the crisis.

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