Former DUTA president Aditya Narayan Mishra joins Congress with academicians
Synopsis
A three-time DUTA president and the entire Academics for Action and Development organisation have formally joined the Congress, framing the move as a fight to rescue India’s ‘crumbling’ education system. The merger of an organised academic body into a political party is an unusual signal of campus-level discontent that the Opposition is now actively harnessing.
Key Takeaways
Aditya Narayan Mishra , former DUTA president and senior professor, joined the Indian National Congress on 14 September 2026 in New Delhi .
The teachers’ organisation Academics for Action and Development (AAD) formally merged with the Congress at the same event.
Mishra cited a ‘crumbling’ education system and alleged that thousands of government schools had been shut down.
Senior Congress leaders present included Delhi Congress in-charge Qazi Nizamuddin , DPCC president Devender Yadav , and AICC UP in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam .
Mishra has served as DUTA president three times and also headed the Federation of Central Universities Teachers Associations .
Former Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) president and senior professor Aditya Narayan Mishra on Monday, 14 September formally joined the Indian National Congress (INC) in New Delhi, along with several prominent academicians, pledging to fight what he described as a “crumbling” education system. The teachers’ organisation Academics for Action and Development (AAD) also merged with the Congress at the same event.
Who Joined and Where
Mishra, who has served as DUTA president three times and also headed the Federation of Central Universities Teachers Associations, joined the party at the Congress office in New Delhi. Those present included Delhi Congress in-charge Qazi Nizamuddin, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president Devender Yadav, AICC’s Uttar Pradesh in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam, former MLA and DPCC Secretary General Anil Bhardwaj, and Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) Delhi unit president Pankaj Garg, among others.
What Mishra Said
Speaking after joining the party, Mishra said he and his colleagues had taken the step to “strengthen Rahul Gandhi’s hands.” He alleged that government educational institutions across the country were “under attack” and 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,” Mishra said, adding that his group had joined the struggle to “help pull the country out of the crisis.”
Congress Leaders Respond
Welcoming the academicians, Qazi Nizamuddin said the joining of senior teachers was particularly significant at a time when questions were being raised over the state of the education system, and incidents of violence against students were reportedly on the rise. He described Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi as having “consistently fought for justice for students,” and said the intellectual contribution of Mishra and his colleagues would strengthen the Congress.
DPCC President Devender Yadav underlined Mishra’s extensive institutional background, noting that the country’s youth and students needed direction and better leadership to secure India’s future.
Broader Concerns Raised
Rajendra Pal Gautam framed the academicians’ decision as one aimed at “protecting democracy, the Constitution and the education system.” He argued that funds channelled into the ruling party’s programmes could instead have been used to build student hostels, citing the recent collapse at Satya Niketan as an example of infrastructure neglect. This comes amid a wider Opposition campaign to highlight concerns over public education spending and campus safety.
What This Means
The induction of organised academic groups into a political party is relatively uncommon in Indian politics, and the AAD merger signals an attempt by the Congress to deepen its outreach among educators and campus communities ahead of upcoming electoral cycles. Whether this translates into a broader movement among university faculty remains to be seen.
Point of View
Particularly in Delhi where the Aam Aadmi Party has dominated the education conversation, is the real question this joining leaves unanswered.
NationPress
14 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Aditya Narayan Mishra and why did he join the Congress?
Aditya Narayan Mishra is a senior professor and three-time president of the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA). He joined the Congress on 14 September 2026, citing a ‘crumbling’ education system and the alleged shutdown of thousands of government schools, and said the move was aimed at strengthening Rahul Gandhi’s efforts to defend government-funded institutions.
What is Academics for Action and Development (AAD)?
Academics for Action and Development (AAD) is a teachers’ organisation that formally merged with the Indian National Congress at the same event on 14 September 2026. The merger signals an organised push by academic groups to engage directly in electoral politics through the Congress.
Who attended the Congress joining ceremony for Mishra?
Senior Congress figures present included Delhi Congress in-charge Qazi Nizamuddin, DPCC president Devender Yadav, AICC Uttar Pradesh in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam, former MLA and DPCC Secretary General Anil Bhardwaj, and INTUC Delhi unit president Pankaj Garg.
What concerns did Congress leaders raise about the education system?
Congress leaders alleged that government educational institutions were under attack, thousands of schools had been shut, and incidents of violence against students were rising. Rajendra Pal Gautam also cited the recent structural collapse at Satya Niketan as evidence of infrastructure neglect in the education sector.
Why is the merger of AAD with the Congress politically significant?
The formal merger of an organised academic body into a political party is uncommon in Indian politics. It reflects an Opposition strategy to mobilise university faculty and the education community, and signals growing campus-level discontent that the Congress is attempting to channel into political support ahead of future elections.
