15 September, Srinagar: Students, the bulk of whom were from Kashmir, who registered at the institution for the 2020 academic session to study nursing studies found themselves left high and dry, which has led to a storm of criticism at Desh Bhagat institution (DBU), which is located in the Indian state of Punjab.
The students have accused the university of covertly transferring their registrations to an illegal institution located on the DBU campus. This has sparked large demonstrations and a horrifying police lathi charge, which has resulted in a number of female students being hurt and several of them passing out.
Videos of the police cane charge quickly spread across various social media platforms.
The matter was brought to light when a group of students who had enrolled with DBU found out that their admissions had been secretly moved to Sardar Lal Singh institution, which is an institution that is situated on the DBU campus. The problem was brought to light when this revelation occurred.
The pupils were under the notion that they were registered with DBU; nevertheless, this was not the case. However, we were astounded to find out that our registration had been moved to a college that was not authorised,” one of the students said.
The Indian Nursing Council (INC) has a number of rules and guidelines that colleges need to follow to in order to stay in compliance with the policy that governs the admissions process for nursing programmes.
According to a member of the administration, the INC had given its blessing for a certain number of student admissions.
An official said that “yet, the university authorities allegedly exceeded this limit and unilaterally shifted these students’ registrations to Lal Singh College, which lacks approval from both the INC and the Punjab Nursing Registration Council (PNRC).” “Yet, the university authorities allegedly exceeded this limit and unilaterally shifted these students’ registrations to Lal Singh College,”
Students organised demonstrations over this problem even as recently as the previous school year.
“At that time, the university authorities had assured to address the matter, but their promises remained unfulfilled which has left the students in a state of limbo,” another student added. “The university authorities have left the students in a state of limbo because they have not fulfilled their promises.”
The students who are adversely impacted have been outspoken about their plight, claiming that neither the INC nor the PNRC accepts their programme as valid.
Their demonstrations have been becoming more intense over the last several days, which has been exacerbated by the university’s ongoing silence on the subject.
Sadly, this uptick in protest led to a brutal cane charge by the police, which resulted in a large number of students being hurt, including several who became unconscious.
However, as a result of the breakdown in law and order, the government of Punjab has taken notice of the situation, and a group consisting of representatives from the university’s administration, the police department, and the government has been assembled to investigate and find a solution to the problem.
In the meanwhile, the local Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) has met with the protesting kids on many occasions and has given them assurances that action would be taken.
As they wait for a solution to this troubling issue, the future of these kids is yet unknown.
In the meantime, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has written a letter to the Union Minister for Health and Medical Education Mansukh Mandaviya and to the Chief Minister of Punjab Bhagwant Mann regarding the transfer of Kashmiri students who were enrolled in various paramedical courses from DBU Punjab to Sardar Lal Singh College without their consent.
“About seventy Kashmiri students who were enrolled in different paramedical programmes at DBU have been forcibly relocated to Sardar Lal Singh College against their choice and without their permission. Around 500 students from Jammu and Kashmir who were enrolled in different paramedical programmes at DBU last year “found themselves caught in a situation beyond their control,” National Convenor of the JKSA Nasir Khuehami said in a statement. This unilateral action by the institution has been underway since last year.
According to what he claimed, “It has come to light that DBU, Punjab, admitted 140 students, which is a far cry from the approved intake capacity, which ranges from 40 to 60 students.”
Khuehami urged the Union Minister for Health and Medical Education Mansukh Mandaviya and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to ensure the preservation of these students’ registrations, allowing them to continue their nursing education without further hindrance.
He urged the CM to prioritise the resolution of this matter in the best interest of these young, aspiring nurses.
“We demand justice for these students who have been unjustly caught in this predicament,” he added. “We demand justice for these students.”
Mehbooba Mufti, who served as the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, has spoken out against the use of the cane against female students who were participating in a demonstration against the decision of the DBU to transfer Kashmiri students against their will.
The use of lathicharge on Kashmiri students and inappropriate behaviour towards female protesters at a demonstration against a university that has ruined their future is simply uncalled for. I would like to respectfully request that @BhagwantMann ji check into this problem. Mehbooba Mufti wrote on X that activities like as this further alienate the people of Kashmir.
