Escalation in tensions between Indo-Pak impacts students in Punjab's border districts

Hindustan Times

13-05-2025

Ferozepur/Hoshiarpur, Educational institutions in some districts of Punjab remained shut as a precautionary measure though there has been a semblance of normalcy in the some border areas of the state in the past two days.
India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to cease all firing and military actions on land, air, and sea with immediate effect following four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes that brought the two countries to the brink of full-scale war.
Schools in five border districts of Punjab Amritsar, Pathankot, Fazilka, Ferozepur and Tarn Taran remained closed on Tuesday as a precautionary measure, said officials.
However, schools in Gurdaspur, which is Punjab's sixth border district, and Sangrur and Barnala reopened on Tuesday and classes will begin in schools in Amritsar and Tarn Taran Wednesday.
In Pathankot and Amritsar, colleges and universities also remain shut on Tuesday, the officials said. However, authorities in Amritsar said universities and colleges can take classes online.
Schools in Ferozepur, Fazilka, Pathankot, Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur districts, that lie on the border with Pakistan, remained shut on Monday as well.
A student from Ferozepur said he appreciated the government's decisive action during Operation Sindoor.
The 18-year-old student, who is preparing for admission test in an engineering college, however, said, "The tension which escalated between the two countries does have an impact on our normal studies as educational institutions were shut for past few days."
Another student Arshpreet Singh , a Hoshiarpur resident and final-year B.Tech student at a private university, also said that while he supports the government's action taken in the national interest, the shutdown of educational institutions at many places in Punjab had adversely affected students.
Although his syllabus has been completed, Arshpreet noted that his external viva examination was still pending. His final-year exams, scheduled to begin on May 19, have been postponed, and the university where he studies is yet to announce new dates.
Most students staying in hostels have returned to their homes following the university's closure.
"To keep up with my studies, I've been using platforms like YouTube and ChatGPT to clarify doubts and revise topics," he said.
A private university in Mohali is holding online classes for students after suspending regular classes for a few days.
A Mohali-based 20-year-old, who is pursuing B Com course at the university, praised the Indian security forces for razing terror targets to dust in recent missile strikes and said Pakistan must have come to its senses and now will think twice before indulging in any misadventure against India.
However, he said though the university has suspended regular classes as a precautionary measure, students have to sit for hours in front of a computer for classes, which sometimes affect attentiveness in studies while sitting at home.
It also reminds him of the COVID-19 period when online classes used to take place, he said.
He said he is keenly waiting for regular classes at the university campus to resume.
In Kapurthala, Pushkar Walia , a local resident studying in fourth semester in BBA course, said some exams, which he had to appear in, to be conducted by Punjab Technical University, had been postponed last week amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.
Now the university has announced new dates for holding these exams, he said.
"We must salute our forces for protecting our lives from nefarious designs of Pakistan," he, however, said at the same time.
Similarly his friend Barinder , who is also studying in same class, shared the same experience and saluted the Indian armed forces for giving befitting reply to Pakistan sponsored terrorists.
Last week, Panjab University, Chandigarh, had said exams scheduled for May 9, 10 and 12 have been postponed.
Guru Nanak Dev University , Amritsar, had also announced postponement of some exams recently.