JKSA delegation meets protesting students, parents over Mewar University row; to take up course recognition, suspensions and FIR with DM Rajnath Singh

• Says Army’s Sadbhavana scholarship was meant to empower Kashmiri youth, not subject them to FIRs, suspensions and academic uncertainty

SRINAGAR: The Jammu & Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) delegation on Friday met protesting students and parents of Kashmiri students enrolled in the B.Sc Nursing programme at Mewar University in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, who had staged a demonstration in Srinagar expressing concern over the alleged lack of recognition for the course and the detention of students following a campus protest.

During the interaction, a JKSA delegation led by State President Mubashir Ahmad, accompanied by Coordinator Reshi Showkat and other members, listened to the grievances raised by families regarding the academic uncertainty and safety of their children studying outside Jammu and Kashmir.The Association assured the protesting students and parents that a delegation led by JKSA National Convenor Nasir Khuehami would meet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and take up the matter with him, considering that many of the affected students had secured admission under an educational initiative linked to the Indian Army’s Sadbhavana outreach programme aimed at supporting students from Jammu and Kashmir.

Mubashir said the issue has caused deep anxiety among more than 50 Kashmiri students currently pursuing the B.Sc Nursing programme at Mewar University, many of whom are in the advanced stage of their four-year course and approaching their final semesters. He said the students had taken admission in the programme believing that it had the necessary statutory approvals from the Indian Nursing Council and the Rajasthan Nursing Council, the regulatory bodies governing nursing education and professional registration in the country.

However, serious concerns recently emerged after students allegedly discovered that the programme may not have the mandatory approvals from the INC and RNC, raising fears that their degree may not be recognised for professional registration and employment in the nursing sector.

National Convenor of Association Nasir Khuehami said the students approached the university administration seeking clarification and official documentation confirming the recognition status of the course. However, according to the students, the university authorities allegedly failed to provide clear and satisfactory responses to their legitimate concerns.

Instead of addressing the students’ grievances through dialogue, the university administration allegedly resorted to coercive measures, registering an FIR against 17 Kashmiri students who took part in the protest. They were detained by local authorities, initially kept at a police station and later shifted to the Sub Jail in Chittorgarh, where they remained for nearly two days before being released. In addition, 33 Kashmiri students were suspended by the university, further deepening the anxiety and distress among those affected and their families.

The Association has sought urgent intervention to revoke the FIRs registered against the students, withdraw the suspension orders issued by the university, and order an independent and impartial inquiry into the allegations of harassment, intimidation, and assault faced by the students.Khuehami said that if the programme indeed lacks the required statutory approvals, the degrees obtained by the students may not be valid for professional registration, putting nearly four years of academic effort, financial investment, and future career prospects at serious risk.

“The students have only demanded that either the university secure the necessary statutory approvals immediately or facilitate their migration to a duly recognised nursing institution where they can continue their education without jeopardising their academic and professional future,” Khuehami said.Association said many of the affected students come from middle-class and economically weaker families who relied on scholarships and financial support to pursue professional education outside Jammu and Kashmir.

The programme, linked to the Army’s Sadbhavana initiative, was intended to engage, empower, and support Kashmiri youth through education. However, the Association said that the alleged lodging of FIRs and detention of students has instead created a sense of distress and alienation among them and their families.The Association assured the protesting parents that it would continue to pursue the matter with the concerned authorities, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Government of Rajasthan, until the students’ academic future is secured and justice is ensured.