Students’ federation of India was formed through its First Conference which was held at Thiruvananthapuram between December 27 to 30th in the year 1970.
In the latter half of 1970 student leaders from various states assembled together at Calcutta and decided to form a new student organization which is committed to bring together the students of our country and lead them on issues such as radical education reforms, employment, safeguarding and expansion of democratic rights and give the students movement of our country a new and correct direction leads to the formation of Students Federation of India.
The Students Federation of India has grown into of the biggest student student organization of the country and largest student organization in the world world by the number of active members.[citation needed] The Students Federation of India leads the University Unions in all the Universities in West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura. The very fact that the Students Federation of India commands majority in almost all the colleges/schools/polytechnics/Industrial Training Institute/Professional institutions including the Engineering and Medical Colleges in these states.
All this years SFI in its march forward under the banner of Independence, Democracy, socialism had to deal with and counter various wrong tendencies with in the student movement. These 40 years have been very difficult years.
In the last forty year right from sathi Devapalan to sathi Fasil, Thrissur, around 31 Cadres have become martyrs in Kerala alone to the cruel and barbaric deeds of the fundamentalist and right wing forces operating in the state. Several of its members were tortured, Jailed and academically victimized. SFI was able to with stand the stiff resistance offered by all sections offered by who want to divide the student community on the basis of religion and caste and to commercialise education. A section of the media nursing the capitalist and feudal ideologies with the active assistance of the pseudo intelligentsia who put forward the age old reactionary slogan that students should not take part in politics have made many an attempt to destroy the organization by spreading false and untrue campaign whereby trying to show the organization in poor light However, the organization has outlived such malicious motives, thanks of the unflinching commitment by the rank and file of the organization and the continuous support of the student community. SFI becomes the prime target of all reactionary forces because the enemies of the people recognize that from within the student community it represents the main danger challenging their authority.
During the period of emergency, when the democratic set up was facing its greatest peril, SFI organized many protests and student agitations to uphold the principles of democracy. Many of its cadres were jailed arbitrarily and because victims of organized torture. Sathi Mohammed Mustafa died as a result of the torture inflicted by the police.
It is after the emergency period that the state organization witnessed a tremendous growth. The efforts of the organization in upholding the principles of justice and democracy were recognized and appreciated by the entire society including the student community. On the basis of martyrdom and glorious sacrifices of its members SFI today become the leading force in uniting the students on common issue.
It is only the consistent efforts of the organization in upholding and catering to the needs of the students, the organization could grow into as where it stands today. No other organization has waged its struggle as the Students Federation of India against ragging and exploitation of students, attempts to communally polarize the student community etc. The Students Federation of India throughout the years has effectively warded off all diabolic attempts to commercialize education, which is detrimental to the interests of the student community.
Flag
A flag with a red five cornered star in the top left corner, on a white background and Independence, Democracy and Socialism written one beneath the other also in red; the ratio of length and breadth of the flag being 3:2.
Philosophy
The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) is a Socialist organization. The slogan of the SFI is “Independence, Democracy, and Socialism!”
The SFI believes that education is a major tool of social transformation and that this concept is especially relevant in a country like India, where regressive forces still prevail. Proper education, they believe, will counteract such forces and will help to build a new society based on rationality and justice. The SFI is an organization of students which is ever aware of its role in society. It identifies with a society's progressive forces and is totally committed to the idea of independence, democracy, and socialism.
Aims and Objectives
1. The Students’ Federation of India takes upon itself the task of organizing the students in schools, colleges, universities and other educational institutions of the country and also Indian students studying abroad under its banner to build a powerful and well-knit student movement for the upliftment and betterment of the student community
2. The Students’ Federation of India fights for the realisation of its aim to establish a democratic, scientific, secular and progressive educational system ensuring education and job for all that calls for the implementation of comprehensive land reforms, elimination of the stranglehold of international finance capital and indigenous monopoly capitalism. The Students’ Federation of India aims to accomplish this by organizing the student community in the struggles of the wider democratic movement of the workers, peasants, and other progressive forces
3. The Students’ Federation of India as a forward-looking and progressive student organization shall inscribe on its banner, “Independence, Democracy and Socialism”. It is with this perspective that Students’ Federation of India is committed to strive for a society free from all exploitation. It shall fight all such alien trends and tendencies that are disruptive of our struggle for the emancipation of our people and country
4. The Students’ Federation of India will continuously work to ensure all necessary facilities for complete and meaningful education – hostel, library and laboratory, sports and games, athletics and physical training, culture and entertainment, and other educative and social activities – that will be adequate and within the reach of all students. The Students’ Federation of India will continuously fight for the attainment of all just and democratic rights of students. It will fight and work for the right of students to democratic and independent expression and conduct, to form unions and associations, to assemble, to participate in the management of educational institutions and in all activities connected with the academic and other aspects of student life. The Students’ Federation of India will strive to develop the Students’ urge for more and more knowledge and to inculcate among students the practice of self-education and self-discipline. The Students’ Federation of India will further strive to develop close-knit relations between teachers, non-teaching staff, guardians, students and the rest of the academic community, and foster mutual respect and regard between them. The Students’ Federation of India will untiringly resist any attempt to drive a wedge between the students and the rest of the academic community. It will also oppose all attempts to alienate the student community from other democratic and toiling sections of our people.
5. The Students’ Federation of India, while stressing the duty and necessity of the student community for diligent and industrious study of the humanities and the sciences to equip themselves with adequate knowledge and enlightenment, simultaneously seeks to encourage and promote their thirst for political and social knowledge and consciousness. The students should thus be adequately prepared, on leaving school or college, to play their rightful role as conscious citizens of this fast changing society of our times.
6. The Students’ Federation of India pledges to fight for equality of all, irrespective of religion, caste, gender, language, and race and as part of this struggle, commits to fight for the empowerment of the disadvantaged classes, castes, tribes and communities, the women, and other marginalized sections of the society and for the protection of the rights of the linguistic, ethnic, racial, religious and other minorities. The Students’ Federation of India upholds the constitutionally guaranteed rights for minorities to run and manage educational institutions in the country. However it should be ensured that these institutions are not run with a commercial motive to earn profits and misutilised for spreading irrational and fundamentalist ideology.
7. The Students’ Federation of India stands firmly in defense of secularism, the complete separation of state and polity from religion. The Students’ Federation of India declares its uncompromising opposition to all forms of religious fundamentalism, bigotry and communalism, and pledges to fight against all forms of communal violence, terror, and in particular communal fascism. The communal forces divide the student community thus weakening their struggles for educational and employment rights. The Students’ Federation of India unflinchingly confronts all attempts to destroy the unity of the students and the people at large on religious and communal lines and with unfailing sincerity addresses itself to the task of promoting communal harmony and patriotic unity of the people against the anti-national forces of communalism.
8. Students Federation of India is strongly opposed to all forms of gender discrimination and oppression in every sphere of life. The prevalence of age-old evil traditions like sati and dowry portray the deplorable condition of women in our country. It commits to fight all patriarchal values and practices which draw their basis both from the remnants of feudal relations, outmoded ways of thought, and from the commodification of women under capitalism. SFI shall fight for the emancipation of women and demands equality of access to education for girls. SFI stands and strives for a progressive and gender sensitive ethos and curriculum.
9. The Students’ Federation of India is vehemently opposed to all forms of caste discrimination and oppression. SFI strives to eradicate the inhuman practice of untouchability, all forms of social oppression and fights for the abolition of caste system. It supports reservations for the dalits, the adivasis and other backward castes and communities in the area of education and employment, and demands its extension to the private sector too. The Students’ Federation of India is of the considered opinion that other forms of deprivation like economic, regional, and gender-wise backwardness should also be taken into account in providing reservations. It also raises its voice for the fulfillment of the existing stipulation of reservations and new provisions wherever required for all other disadvantaged categories (physically challenged, etc.).
10. The Students’ Federation of India staunchly opposes all kinds of narrow, separatist parochialism and chauvinism, be it on linguistic, provincial, regional, or ethnic lines. The Students’ Federation of India strives for a democratic realignment of power between the Union and the state governments with emphasis on decentralization of power to strengthen the federal character of the nation in order to safeguard national unity and to ensure balanced development. The Students’ Federation of India fully supports the developmental aspirations, both material and cultural, of the various nationalities in the Indian Union within the territorial integrity of the country and extends full cooperation to their legitimate and democratic struggles against the oppressive and authoritarian policies of the State.
11. The socially unplanned and uncontrolled capitalist path of development with the sole objective of reckless profiteering has precipitated dangerous environmental degradation. The Students’ Federation of India is committed to environment-friendly development and will strive along with progressive peoples’ movements for protection and sustenance of environment.
12. The cultural diversity of our country is facing multi-pronged attacks. On one hand the onslaught of market-oriented consumerist values is deforming our cultural foundations while on the other hand aggressive communalism is seeking to impose a Manuvadi cultural hierarchy in the name of ‘cultural nationalism’. The Students’ Federation of India firmly resists all attempts to mutilate the mosaic of our varied and pluralistic culture while firmly rejecting the influence of the colonial-feudal culture. It stands committed to steadfastly promote development of people’s culture based on modern, scientific progressive and humanitarian values.
13. The Students’ Federation of India works towards protecting identity, languages and culture of indigenous, tribal communities while fighting against their exploitation and dispossession for their overall development and helping them to integrate with the mainstream social life. At the same time, the Students’ Federation of India struggles for the development of education, welfare and integrity of tribes by defending their rights. The rights of the tribal people should be protected according to the Schedules V and VI of the Constitution of India, especially at a time of intensifying attack of imperialist globalisation.
14. The Students’ Federation of India is committed to strengthen the mass democratic movement in our country in order to advance the struggle for socio-economic emancipation of the people. The Students’ Federation of India, along with other progressive forces, stands committed to fight against the stranglehold of feudal and casteist values and rituals that severely impair the advancement of democratic consciousness among the masses. A radical social reform movement together with the fight against feudal land relations along with other democratic and progressive forces is an important part of Students’ Federation of India’s agenda to develop democratic consciousness among the vast toiling sections.
15. The Students’ Federation of India as an organization and movement inspired by anti-imperialist, democratic, and socialist ideas, is pledged to combat the onslaught of imperialist globalization and domination in all areas of student and public life. The Students’ Federation of India simultaneously is pledged to protect the unity and integrity of our country from the onslaught of communal and separatist forces. It extends its solidarity to all the progressive forces of the world fighting for freedom, independence, territorial integrity, democracy, and socialism against imperialist aggression. The Students’ Federation of India is committed to work in close coordination with all the progressive, democratic, and socialist forces around the world and earnestly work for building a powerful international Student movement in defense of world peace, independence, democracy and socialism against imperialism.
16. The Students’ Federation of India seeks to establish warm and friendly relations with all other organizations and associations of students, youth and the academic community, which are pledged to work for independence, secularism, democracy, peace, and socialism. It is prepared to unite with all those who are willing to join hands with it on specific issues and demands, and jointly act with them for the redress of the Students’ grievances.
17. The Students’ Federation of India places this programme before the student community and calls upon the students, youth, women, middle classes, peasants, workers and all other forces interested in the democratic advancement of our country to unite for the fulfillment of these tasks and join hands to build a prosperous life for all our people.
Structure of the Organization
- Conferences
- Central Executives Committee
- Affiliated bodies, organized on State Committee, District Committee, Zone/Area Committee, local and institution basis Committee & Units.
Membership and Rights and Duties of the Members
A student above 12 years of age or studying in standard six and above, whichever is earlier, irrespective of gender, caste, religion, language, race or region and opinion, who accepts the objectives of the Students Federation of India and pays the required annual subscription fee is eligible to be a member. School students are required to pay an annual subscription of 1 rupee, and students from other academic institutions have to pay Rs 2 or 1 $ in case of overseas Indian students. The membership will be valid for a single academic session only. The differential membership fees shall not in any way mean differential rights and duties of the members.
Any member of Students’ Federation of India after the completion of ones education is eligible to enroll oneself as a member for another two years more. Even after this period, the conference can elect those ex-students in the Executive Committee or as office bearers of the said committee. Every member will have the right to elect and to be elected and place ones opinions before the executive of the Students’ Federation of India. A member will have the right of resignation.
All members will have the responsibility of implementing the programmers adopted through general conference and the right to propagate those objectives and activities of the Students’ Federation of India. Every member should regularly read the organ of the Students’ Federation of India and should take responsibilities of popularizing the organ. Every member can contribute and should collect funds for the organization.
Disciplinary Action
Disciplinary action may be taken against any member by the duly constituted committee under whose jurisdiction the member is enrolled, if the person’s activities are against the interest or the Constitution, of the organization.
A member facing disciplinary charges has the right to explain his or her conduct to the committee initiating action. Expulsion of a member has to be ratified by the next higher committee. A member who is expelled or is facing any disciplinary action has the right to appeal to the higher committees and subsequently up to the Central Executive Committee.
Central Executive Committee can disaffiliate any unit, for not conforming to the interest of the organization or acting against the aims and objectives of the organization. State bodies have similar powers vis-Ã -vis units under them. In the latter case, right of appeal for the units lie with the Central Executive Committee.
Disaffiliation of any State committee by the Central Executive Committee must be placed for approval at the next All India Conference.
Areas of influence
Though SFI is active throughout India, it is most prominent in those three states that have enjoyed communist governments historically. These are the states of West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh The SFI includes students from all the academic institutions of India - from schools to colleges, from professional institutions to research academies. In Tripura there is a special sub-organisation for tribal students, named the Tribal Students Union.
| Cadre | Place (Killed) | Date | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anwar Hussain | Bardhaman, West Bengal | 20-06-1971 | Killed inside the hostel ofBurdwan Raj College |
| Nitya Pal | Bardhaman, West Bengal | 24-07-1971 | Killed while returning from examination |
| Pinaki Banerjee | Kalna, West Bengal | 05-08-1971 | |
| Devapaalan | Thiruvananthapuram,Kerala | 08-10-1971 | Bus ran into the rally |
| Asharaf | Thalassery, Kerala | 05-03-1974 | Stabbed |
| Saithali | Pattambi, Kerala | 19-09-1974 | Beaten with iron bar and stabbed |
| Mohammed Musthafa | Mannarkkad, Kerala | 16-08-1976 | succumbed to the police torture |
| Velayudhan | Koduvayur, Kerala | 19-12-1976 | stabbed |
| Ranjan Goswami | Belgharia, West Bengal | 19-06-1977 | shot by Congress(I) goons |
| G.Bhuvanaeswaran | Pandalam, Kerala | 12-12-1977 | |
| P.K.Rajan | Thrippunithura, Kerala | 24-02-1979 | stabbed |
| Lal Bahadur Rai | Samastipur, Bihar | 21-01-1981 | Succumbed to injuries he suffered on 14th Jan after police had beaten him in jail to break the hunger strike |
| Pradeep Kumar | Kozhikode, Kerala | 13-07-1981 | Bus ran into the rally |
| Sreekumar | Kollam,Kerala | 04-01-1982 | stabbed |
| C.V.Jose | Pathanamthitta, Kerala | 17-12-1982 | stabbed |
| E.K.Balan | Sree Keralavarma College Thrissur, Kerala | 05-01-1984 | stabbed |
| M.S.Prasad | Pathanamthitta, Kerala | 07-09-1984 | main witness in C.V. Jose the murder, stabbed |
| Susobhan Mukherjee | Kalna, West Bengal | 16-03-1985 | died at R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital after being hurt in clashes during Kalna College students' union election on 15 March |
| Koroth Chandran | Kozhikode, Kerala | 29-11-1985 | beaten to death |
| Sabu | Mannarkkad, Kerala | 24-01-1988 | injuries inflicted from the glass pieces |
| Anil | Pathanamthitta, Kerala | 08-12-1988 | murdered |
| Kochaniyan | Kuttanellur, Kerala | 29-02-1992 | murdered |
| Sajeevan | Kozhikode, Kerala | 29-02-1992 | stabbed |
| Joby Andrews | Kozhikode, Kerala | 15-07-1992 | stoned down |
| Ajeesh | Kottayam, Kerala | 09-08-1992 | beaten |
| K.C.Rajesh | Kannur, Kerala | 17-12-1993 | Ran over by bus |
| K.V.Sudheesh | Kannur, Kerala | 26-01-1994 | hacked to death |
| P.K.Rameshan | Madappally, Kerala | 29-09-1994 | beaten |
| K.V.Roshan | Kuthuparamba,Kerala | 25-11-1994 | police firing |
| K.K.Rajeevan | Kuthuparamba, Kerala | 25-11-1994 | police firing |
| Madhu | Kuthuparamba, Kerala | 25-11-1994 | police firing |
| Shibulal | Kuthuparamba, Kerala | 25-11-1994 | police firing |
| Babu | Kuthuparamba, Kerala | 25-11-1994 | police firing |
| M.A.Sakkeer | Thiruvananthapuram, Kuthuparamba, Kerala | 16-01-1995 | slashed to death by PDPactivists |
| Ajay | Chempazhanthy, Kerala | 03-08-1997 | murdered |
| Rajesh M. | Panthalam, Kerala | 31-10-2001 | murdered |
| Sunita Mondal [4] | Nandigram, West Bengal | 10-02-2007 | raped & hanged to a tree |
| Ajay Prasad | Karunagapally, Kerala | 20-07-2007 | beaten to death |
| Soumik Biswas | Shibpur, West Bengal [5] | 12-08-2007 | clash with rival students union in Bengal Engineering College |
| Sheikh Babua | Bagnan, West Bengal [6] | 08-05-2009 | bomb was hurled by Trinamool Congress workers |
| Bibek Burman [7] | Mathabhanga, West Bengal | 21-05-2009 | abducted & then speared to death |
| Apurba Ghosh [8] | Krishnanagar, West Bengal | 28-05-2009 | abducted, hands tied, throttled & then stabbed through his ears |
| Sayantika Rakshit[9] | Tamluk, West Bengal | 02-06-2009 | shot on the head |
| Abhijit Mahato | Lalgarh, West Bengal [10] | 13-07-2009 | gunned down by Communist Party of India (Maoist)guerrillas |
| Avijit Mondal [11] | Uluberia, West Bengal | 17-06-2009 | succumbed to injuries after an attack in the village byTrinamool Congress workers on 09-07-2009 |
| Tilak Tudu | Salboni, West Bengal [12] | 11-12-2009 | gunned down by Communist Party of India (Maoist)guerrillas |
| A.B.Bijesh | Thrissur, Kerala | 02-11-2009 | murdered by the National Democratic Frontfundamentalists |
| Dipanwita Jana | Nandigram, West Bengal [13] | 22-01-2010 | raped & murdered (allegedly by Bhumi Uchhed Pratirodh Committee goons) while going for tuitions, body found in Haldi River |
| MD.MOQEETH UDDIN | Shadnagar Division President | 27/11/2010 | |
| Partha Biswas | Harda, West Bengal | 04-04-2010 | gunned down by Communist Party of India (Maoist)guerrillas |
| Swapan Koley | Andul, West Bengal | 16-12-2010 | beaten to death in college by TMC goons |
| Aneesh Rajan[14] | Idukki, Kerala | 18-03-2012 | murdered |
| Rohit Kumar [15] | Chakmoh, Himachal Pradesh | 26-09-2012 | murdered in front of his college by 5 motorcyclists |
| Sudipto Gupta[16] | Kolkata, West Bengal | 02-04-2013 | death in police custody, investigation on-going |
| Sajin Shahul | Thiruvananthapuram,Kerala | 01-10-2013 | succumbed to head injuries afflicted on 29-08-2013 |
| Faasil | Guruvayoor, Kerala | 04-11-2013 | Brutally Hacked to death. |
| Saifuddin Mollah | Baruipur, West Bengal | 19-01-2014 | Abducted and beaten to death by goons, while returning from a mass meeting of Dr. Surjya Kanta Mishra |
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