The situation is still the same at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) campus in Srinagar.
The situation is still the same at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) campus in Srinagar. With heavy police and CRPF deployment on campus after a fracas between local and outstation students over a cricket match last week, it is expected that Deputy
chief minister of the state Nirmal Singh may visit the campus. Although there is no official announcement or confirmation of the same.
Some outstation students staged a protest march within the campus demanding shifting of the institute from Kashmir besides action against policemen involved in lathicharge on them on Tuesday. The protesters, who included girl students, were chanting “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”, officials said.
As tension prevailed, state police chief K Rajendra Kumar visited the campus to take stock of the situation. This was the third day of protests by outstation students who have also accused some faculty members of harassment and demand their resignation so that “they do not play with any student’s career”.
Faculty members, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were shocked at the allegations levelled against them. “The allegations are shocking. Just check the records and you will see outstation students have been doing better at examinations. If anything, we have been generous with them,” a faculty member said.
He, however, said the faculty will not compromise on the standards of this prestigious institute.
“We cannot pass even those who are mediocre in studies. The minimum standards have to be upheld,” he said. The Union HRD Ministry, which rushed three-member team of officials here yesterday, said students will have an option to appear for the exams later. The exams are beginning on April 11 and will be held as scheduled, the ministr officials said.
Meanwhile, the state gvernment today ordered a time-bound inquiry into the clashes that have taken place at the campus. “We have instituted an inquiry to go into the incidents at the NIT,” Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh told reporters here.
He said Additional District Magistrate of Srinagar will conduct the inquiry and submit his report within 15 days. “We will resolve this issue at the earliest,” Singh said. Asked about his controversial comment that students were subjected to ‘mild lathicharge’, Singh said his statement at that time was based on information he had received.
He said the state government will ensure the personal as well as academic security of the students at the NIT. Police also has registered two separate FIRs regarding the incidents of the violence that took place on NIT Srinagar campus on last Friday and Tuesday.
The first FIR was registered against unknown persons for the clashes between outstation and local students on April 1, a day after India lost to West Indies in the semi-final of the World T20 Cup.