Attack on Kashmiri students: Outside state colleges fear decline in admissions from JK

Srinagar, Feb 11: Private colleges outside the state fear that the attacks on Kashmiri students would have an impact on the enrollment from J&K.

The admission process to various engineering colleges, business schools, and other educational institutions outside the state will start from May.

However, the college authorities believe that the attacks will result in less flow of students from the state, especially from the Kashmir region.

Mewar University’s Chittorgarh campus has around 300 students from J&K, but the authorities are of the view that this year the number of students may see a decline in the backdrop of recent attacks.

Assistant Director Academics and Admissions of the University, Murali Krishan, admitted that the attacks would have an impact on the admissions.

“We have a good number of students from J&K enrolled in different courses. They have been pursuing their studies in a peaceful environment. This year we may see lesser enrollments,” he said.

Principal R V College of Engineering at Bengaluru, Dr K N Subramaniam, said there won’t be any impact on the admissions.

The Admission Coordinator of one of the leading business schools in Punjab, wishing anonymity, said the attacks on Kashmiri students would have “a huge impact” on the admissions.

“Kashmiri students have been studying in different colleges of the country. The assaults on them will surely bring down their entry to the colleges,” he said.

He asked the government to take concrete steps to stop the attacks.

There have been repeated attacks on the Kashmiri students in parts of India.

On February 2, two Kashmiri students—Aftab Ahmad, 23, and Amjad Ali, 22—pursuing M Sc were assaulted when they were returning after offering the Friday prayers.

Similar attacks on Kashmiri students took place earlier also.

A group of Kashmiri students at a private university on May 2, 2017, were assaulted in Rajasthan.

A Kashmiri scholar, Hashim Sofi of Bandipora, preferred to leave the course after he, too, was threatened.

Putting up at Malya Bhawan Hostel of BITS Plani, he was a research in Pharmacy Department.

Between February 2013 to April 2016, 30 attacks, reportedly, happened on Kashmiri students studying outside the state.

Although a helpline has been established for the Kashmiri students studying outside the state in the aftermath of the attacks, questions are being raised over its utility.

“The helpline has been established by the government, but the attacks are not stopping. The government has to take stern efforts to put an end to the attacks carried out on Kashmiri students,” said Jalees Ahmad, who is pursuing civil engineering in one of the leading colleges in Ghaziabad.

In April 2017, Home Minister Rajnath Singh asked the chief ministers of all the states to ensure safety of the Kashmiri students.

“Kashmiris are equal and are citizens of India,” he had said.

Director General of Police, J&K, S P Vaid, said they take prompt action whenever any incident comes to surface.

“I talked to Haryana DGP, and he assured that the culprits will be taken to task. Some have been arrested,” he said in connection with the Haryana attack.

He asked for interaction between the Kashmiri students and others.

“This will help them to understand one another, and obviously the attacks will come down,” he said.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Abdul Rehman Veeri, said the government was concerned about the attacks.