KSU entered the center stage of student politics in Kerala with the famous "Orana Samaram", a strike for travel concessions for students in buses and boats of the state. The ruling Communist government of the state led by EMS Namboodiripad dealt with the agitation with an iron fist including widespread police attacks on students, lathicharges and arrests. But the agitation was a huge success, and the government had to relent to the demands of students. From then onwards, 

growth of KSU was tremendous. KSU became a "fashion" among the student community and with incessant struggles, the organization could achieve many a milestones of achievements.

Unification of fees in government and private schools and colleges, constitution of college unions and university unions through regular elections, university arts festivals, representation for students in the senate, syndicate and academic councils of universities, eradication of detention system, free education up to the plus two level etc. are only a few examples among the vast variety of achievements to its credit. Thousands of students had to shed their sweat and blood on the streets to achieve these, and the greatest of them had to lay their lives itself, like Sudhakar Akkithai, Santharam Shenoy, Thevara Murali, Francis Karippayi and K.P. Sajithlal.

Though KSU regularly intervened effectively in the academic field, its effect was not restricted to that alone. It is perhaps the first student movement in India, which could even overthrow a government. The communist oppressive regime of EMS, which had proved to be a threat to constitutional democracy itself, was thrown out of office through the agitations and relentless efforts of KSU in 1960. In the 1970s, KSU played its decisive role in retaining the faith of student community in the constitutional machinery and non-violent means of social change, in the days when naxalism and armed adventures spread as a wave in college campuses.

    
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