It describes itself as "the voice of the radical students' movement" and is affiliated to the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation.

[2] The association was founded in Prayagraj on 9 August 1990 with the merger of several left wing students organisations across India.

A unit of AISA also has consistently won Student union elections in Rikhnikhal Degree college, Pauri garhwal Uttarakhand since 2017.

AISA has consistently won in Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union elections since 2006.

[citation needed] Since 2013, AISA is one of the major left force in Delhi University Students Union elections.