Kathmandu, July 7:

The Nepali Congress (D)-affiliated Nepal Students’ Union is amending its statute to ensure the representation of Dalits, indigenous nationalities, Madheshis and women members at various levels of the union.

This comes in the wake of the three-day ninth national convention of the union, which will begin in Nepalgunj on July 10.

“The union is preparing to become inclusive by amending its statute,” said Kalyan Kumar

Gurung, joint general secretary of the union and a contender for the presidency.

A statute amending committee headed by vice-president Nripa Bista has proposed selecting

eight vice-presidents representing the Dalits, Janajatis, Madhesis, women and regions.

The committee has also proposed five joint general secretaries to ensure the representation of disadvantaged communities.

Gurung has also proposed the formation of a 55-member central committee, which will have eight women members.

The existing central committee has 26 members, including four women members.

NC (D) president Sher Bahadur Deuba is scheduled to inaugurate the convention.

Besides Kalyan Gurung, NSU vice-presidents Ram Krishna Chitrakar, Nripa Bista, Mahendra Bhandary, Umesh Yadav and general secretary Kiran Poudel have announced their candidacies for the top post of the union.

Acting president of the union Nripa Bista said central committee members Dipendra Acharya, Durlav Thapa and Nainsingh Mahar have also declared their candidacies for the top post. President of the Kathmandu district committee of the union Rameswor KC, Santosh Bhatta, Saroj Thapa and Rajiv Dhungana are vying for the post of general secretary.

Gurung said the NSU is going for the convention with the agenda of a federal and inclusive Loktantrik republic.

He said some 900 representatives will take part in the convention. Among other things, the convention will seek compulsory and free education, free and regular health service, employment or unemployment allowances, protection of the right to information and education in mother tongues.

The union will also demand one hostel each in every college, computer education at all schools and legal provision of providing loans to students.