Srinagar, Feb 18, KDC: Dozens of Kashmiri nursing students at Mewar University in the Gangrar area of Rajasthan’s Chittorgarh district were allegedly assaulted following a campus protest over the institution’s approval status for the B.Sc. Nursing course, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) said on Wednesday.
According to the Association, the students had raised concerns over the university’s alleged failure to secure mandatory approvals from the Indian Nursing Council (INC) and the Rajasthan Nursing Council (RNC). With the programme scheduled to conclude within the next four months, the students said the uncertainty has left them distressed about the validity of their degrees, professional registration, and employment prospects.
JKSA National Convenor Nasir Khuehami stated that 33 Kashmiri students remain under suspension after staging what the Association described as a peaceful protest seeking clarification on the approval status of their course. More than 50 Kashmiri students are reportedly enrolled in the nursing programme.
He alleged that despite repeated assurances from the university administration that the necessary approvals would be secured, no tangible progress was communicated, prompting students to seek transparency through protest.
The Association alleged that tensions escalated during the protest when a group of students from Bihar, reportedly backed by activists linked to Bajrang Dal, confronted the Kashmiri students.
JKSA claimed that four students sustained injuries in the altercation and that a female student was allegedly manhandled. The Association further alleged that attempts were being made to communalise what it termed an academic and regulatory issue, and expressed dissatisfaction with the response of the local police, claiming inaction and growing insecurity among students on campus.
Khuehami said the Association has formally taken up the issue with Rajasthan Chief Secretary V. Srinivas, seeking urgent intervention to ensure the safety, security, and academic protection of the affected students.
According to JKSA, the Chief Secretary assured that he would examine the matter and that appropriate steps would be taken.
The Association has also urged Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to coordinate with Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma to safeguard the academic interests of Kashmiri students studying outside the Union Territory.
JKSA maintained that the students’ demands are confined to either securing the required statutory approvals without delay or facilitating their transfer to a duly recognised institution to prevent academic loss.
“The future of these students must not be jeopardised due to administrative lapses or delays,” the Association said, calling for a fair inquiry into the assault allegations and immediate revocation of the suspensions. (KDC)
