Amid the unrest on NIT-Srinagar campus, outstation students have demanded that academic activities in the institute, including the Minors (exams), beginning on Monday, be deferred until normality returns.
The outstation students, including girls, who have been staging protests, claimed that the college and HRD Ministry officials said the demand was “non-negotiable”.
“The minors should be postponed and at least 10 days’ gap be given. That way the matter could also be settled and a solution can be arrived at,” a student told PTI on condition of anonymity.
“Till our demands are met, no academic activity should take place in NIT. Academic activities should be postponed,” another student said.
“We had a meeting (on Friday), but it had zero output. They were giving assurances but no promises were made. They said we will make sure something is done on this...but no actions were taken,” he said.
However, an official from the HRD Ministry said the issue of deferring minors is “non-negotiable”, the student claimed.
“We are not trying to create any political issue here. Our demands are for ensuring the safety of our academics,” another student said on condition of anonymity.
He also highlighted the cold weather conditions in which the students, including girls, were staging protests.
A student, who claimed he was present during the meeting on the issue with J & K Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh and Education Minister on Friday, said they have clarified on their demands, which have been allegedly “misrepresented by the media”.
“The college administration was not present at the meeting. We apprised them of the entire issue since March 31 and also cleared our position concerning our demands because we have seen on media that some of our demands have been misrepresented. There are some which we never even asked for,” the student said.
Students also alleged that they were being threatened by teachers.
“If we are to stay here, they have to assure us that there won’t be any discrimination in our academics, but what they do is threaten us. A teacher tells a student ‘You are from...department... I’ll see you.’ We are being threatened academically,” they alleged.
“What is the assurance that these people will not spoil our careers and especially our exams,” he asked.
The students also claimed that Section 144 has been imposed on the campus denying them permission to protest.
In a purported video of the protest, a group of outstation girl students is seen sitting on protest holding placards.
“Our demands are as follow — NIT shift; action against our administration; and action against Jammu and Kashmir Police. And until the time these demands are not met, classes should not resume and the minors be postponed,” she said.
Peace returned to NIT here today as its authorities met several demands of the outstation students, like relaxation on their movement and celebrating of festivals. - PTI
“We are not trying to create any political issue. Our demands are for ensuring safety.”
