Delhi’s youth special DU buses make a comeback; CM Rekha Gupta announces new student-friendly transport options

Students at Delhi University will soon see the return of a familiar ride. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday announced the relaunch of the youth special bus service on DU routes. The aim is straightforward: provide students with a more accessible and engaging way to travel.

"The Delhi government is once again starting the youth special, which will be on DU's route with a little bit of music playing in the bus. This is my gift to students today," said Gupta, addressing a crowd of students during the inauguration of a new academic block at the university's Social Centre School.

For Gupta, this isn't just policy. It’s personal. She recalled her own college days, when the youth special was a daily part of student life.

A call for colleges to mentor schools

Transport wasn’t the only item on the chief minister’s agenda.

Gupta used the opportunity to float a proposal aimed at bridging gaps in Delhi’s education landscape. She suggested that local colleges adopt nearby government schools and take on a mentorship role.

"Why don't our colleges adopt two-three schools each where college students can go weekly and teach and motivate the school students?" she asked.

She directed Education Minister Ashish Sood to draft a detailed plan. The idea is simple but carries weight — students mentoring students could create deeper community connections and broaden educational exposure for schoolchildren who often lack such access.

Education minister reflects on student days

Education Minister Ashish Sood also spoke at the event, drawing on his own long connection to the university.

"Coming to Delhi University is a very nostalgic moment for me as I have spent so many years on this campus. Whenever I see a new educational building, I don't see the bricks and materials, but I see doctors, engineers and patriots emerging from it," he said.

Sood reiterated that the Delhi government's focus is on expanding access to quality education, particularly for underrepresented communities.

"The Delhi government's priority is the democratisation of education across the city, ensuring access and equality in learning," he added.

New DU block, same urgent questions

Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh offered his own perspective during the inauguration. He urged students to shift their thinking from passive criticism to active problem-solving.

"I want to tell students that you should be problem solvers, not someone who complains," he said.

Singh also shared details about the newly completed academic block.

"This building was built in 21 months at a cost of Rs 21 crore," he said.

But he didn’t stop at infrastructure. Singh pointed to a deeper issue — the kind of mindset the current education system has fostered.

"We need an ecosystem in our education system where students become more country-centric, not self-centric, which has been missing for the last 75 years," he said.

The Social Centre School, where the announcement took place, has long served as a venue for both educational innovation and public engagement. Tuesday’s event, anchored around the unveiling of the new academy block, became a platform for something bigger — a broader discussion on what education in Delhi should look like.

Between buses with music and mentorship blueprints, the message from the top was clear: infrastructure matters, but values and access matter more.