Archive · 9 Oct 2026
AISA’s Origins, Ideology and Growing Campus Presence Explained
AISA is a student group that began in 1990.
It is connected to a political party called CPI(ML) Liberation.
That party grew out of a movement whose groups later disagreed about whether to use armed struggle.
CPI(ML) Liberation chose to organise people and take part in elections instead.
AISA brings together students and campaigns on campuses.
It says it supports left-wing politics and secular government.
It has had a strong presence at Jawaharlal Nehru University and some other campuses.
Its candidates have also competed against larger student groups, including ABVP and NSUI.
Founded in 1990, AISA is the student wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation.
The party emerged from the Naxalite movement but later rejected armed struggle in favour of mass organising.
AISA formed through the merger of student groups and gained support on some north Indian campuses in the 1990s.
The organisation describes itself as left-wing and secular, and opposes right-wing groups including the ABVP.
AISA has been prominent at JNU, while its recent electoral support at Delhi University remained below that of the ABVP and NSUI.
- Who
- The All India Students Association (AISA), its leaders and affiliated party, CPI(ML) Liberation.
- What
- An account of AISA’s origins, ideology, campus presence and renewed visibility amid protests.
- When
- AISA was formed in 1990; the article also refers to a protest planned for Saturday, October 10, without specifying the year.
- Where
- AISA has a presence at Jawaharlal Nehru University and other campuses, particularly in north India; the referenced protest is in New Delhi.
- Why
- The article explains AISA’s background and beliefs as the organisation and its president attract attention during recent protests.
AISA and CPI(ML) Liberation
Other political and student groups
Political identity
AISA and CPI(ML) Liberation
AISA describes itself as a left-wing organisation committed to secularism and opposed to communal politics.
Other political and student groups
AISA identifies the ABVP as a right-wing organisation and NSUI as a Congress-affiliated rival; the article does not provide their own responses to AISA’s criticisms.
Approach to political change
AISA and CPI(ML) Liberation
CPI(ML) Liberation turned away from armed struggle and pursued mass movements and electoral participation.
Other political and student groups
Other factions described in the article, including the People’s War Group and Party Unity, continued to follow the Maoist armed-struggle path.
- Founded
- 1990
- Affiliation
- Student wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation
- Political approach of affiliated party
- The party chose mass organising and electoral participation rather than armed struggle.
- Early electoral milestone
- The party won its first electoral victory in 1989 in Ara, Bihar.
- Campus presence
- AISA has had a significant presence at JNU and other north Indian campuses.
- Delhi University elections
- AISA-SFI alliance presidential candidates received more than 5,000 votes in 2025 and 2026, below ABVP and NSUI candidates.
- Recent protest context
- A protest planned for October 10 called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.