Latest news with #JammuandKashmirStudentsAssociation
Scroll.in
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Scroll.in
Video: After Pahalgam, young voices from Kashmir
Play We were too upset to eat dinner after hearing about the Pahalgam terror attack, said Yasmin Khan, a journalist with Awaz the Voice. All the political parties and religious organisations in Kashmir condemned the attacks but unfortunately, India's television channels did not bring this news to the attention of the public, said Nasir Khuehami is the National Convenor of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association. In this episode of Karwan e Mohabbat's Yeh Daag Daag Ujala series on the state of the republic., writer and peace activist Harsh Mander speaks with Khuehami and Khan about the impact of the attack on their lives and those of their community. As news of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam spread, reports emerged from several parts of the country of Kashmiri students, traders, and workers facing threats, harassment, and, in some cases, physical assaults. Khuehami and Khan describe an atmosphere of fear, suspicion and isolation that has deepened in the wake of the violence. They also reflect on the role of mainstream media in amplifying hostility and hate, which they argue contributes to their marginalisation and recent attacks. They share personal accounts of how Kashmiris mourned the terror attack and extended support to those affected, even as they came under intense scrutiny. They describe the emotional toll of being targeted, despite their clear expressions of solidarity.
Hindustan Times
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
CUET UG begins, students face disruptions
The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) for undergraduate admissions began on Tuesday amid disruption across various examination centres, with students across the country encountering significant challenges. In conflict-hit Jammu and Kashmir, examinees were unable to appear for the test as a result of the tensions between India and Pakistan in recent days. Meanwhile, students in urban centres like Delhi faced a different set of issues, including long delays and technical glitches at exam centres, raising concerns over the preparedness and infrastructure supporting this crucial national-level examination. President of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, Nasir Khuehami, said that he had received 'hundreds of calls since morning from students pleading for a change in CUET dates.' 'Students whose houses have been burned down are calling me because they had to miss their CUET paper today. Several students had left their districts and gone to other states when the conflict started, and they still haven't returned. These students had to miss their papers,' Khuehami said. He added that many centres assigned to students in the region were in schools shut due to shelling. Khuemani also said he has written multiple letters to the education minister of Jammu & Kashmir Sakina Itoo and met her as well to raise the concerns but was met with a single line response 'We will work something out.' However, no action has been taken yet. Saqib, a student from Jammu, told HT his exam centre was in Himachal Pradesh. 'How am I supposed to leave a place that has already seen the wrath of the conflict and go to some other state? I am already traumatised, and my parents will not allow me to go. My entire year has gone to waste. Who will be answerable for this? What was my fault?' he said. Sameer, a student from Rehari district of Jammu had his centre in Amritsar. Sameer told HT,'I had packed my bags last night and then drones were sighted in Samba. We have to go through Samba to reach Amritsar, my heart sank...I knew I will have to miss my exam.' Sameer's mother then told him,'Don't go for the paper, exams will come and go but you are my child---what will I do if something happens?' Sameer said that he had called his centre multiple times to check if the exam had taken place but no one picked up. 'Now my next paper is on the 28th but I am in no mood to prepare for it. No one cares about us, why should I bother,' said Sameer. He also added,'Would the government have done nothing for its students if the same had happened in Delhi?' In Delhi, students reported technical and logistical chaos. Lakshita Panghal, who appeared at a centre in Rohini, said the problems began early in the morning. 'We reached around 6:30 am. At 7:00 am, roll numbers were put up on the gate, but the gates didn't open until much later. There was no one from the management, only security guards,' she said. Panghal recounted how she entered the premises herself because the gates were locked from inside. 'I put my hand through and opened the gate. The guards told me to leave, but I asked why we were not being allowed in even after the reporting time.' She said the delay lasted more than an hour. 'The management told us they had no power, the generator wasn't working, and the UPS couldn't take the load. That's why they didn't let us in,' she said. Parents protested outside the gate. Eventually, students were let in but had to wait on the staircase, some in direct sunlight. 'There was no power, no fans. After a long wait, we were finally taken to labs and made to sit again. The exam started at 10:30 am, an hour and a half late,' she said. She also reported that biometric verification and security checks were rushed. 'There was hardly any checking. They spent maybe five seconds per student,' she said. On conditions inside the exam hall, she added: 'There was one AC for around 40 students. It wasn't working properly. But at that point, the heat was the least of our worries.' Aaryan Singhla, another student, said he travelled to Ambala, Haryana for his exam, only to face similar issues. 'There were no fans or lights. The heat was almost unbearable,' he said. 'Security was much stricter this time. Many students had to throw away accessories because there were no lockers.' CUET UG 2025 is being conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) from May 13 to June 3 in computer-based mode. The exam is being held in three shifts daily: 9:00–10:00 am, 12:00–1:00 pm, and 3:00–4:00 pm, covering 37 subjects including 13 languages, 23 domain-specific subjects, and one general test. The test is available in 13 languages and is a key requirement for undergraduate admissions in central, state, and participating universities.
Indian Express
09-05-2025
- Indian Express
Srinagar airport & highway shut, Kashmiri students set to sit for Jamia exams in a fix: ‘Spent the last year preparing for it'
For the past several hours, a 21-year-old student from Bandipore in Jammu and Kashmir has been stuck in gridlocked traffic along the Srinagar-Jammu highway, flanked by her mother, bags of books, and a sense of helplessness. 'We were supposed to fly, but no flights are available. We tried to go by road, but landslides kept blocking the way. I don't know what to do, I will miss my examinations,' she says. She is one of the many Kashmiri students scheduled to appear for entrance exams at Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi. The entrance tests, scheduled for this week, are crucial for admission into postgraduate programmes at the central university. These students have been caught in a travel deadlock caused by the recent shutdown of Srinagar airport, triggered by rising tensions between India and Pakistan. To make the situation worse, traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was suspended early Thursday after heavy rain triggered multiple landslides. 'I have spent the last year preparing for this exam,' said a 23-year-old from Baramullah, speaking on the condition of anonymity. 'I have my admit card. But what do I do?' Earlier this week, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association had issued an urgent appeal to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Jamia Vice-Chancellor Prof Mazher Asif, requesting that the exams be postponed for students from the region. 'The only available route — the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway — is overcrowded, unsafe, and now closed due to heavy rain and landslides,' said Nasir Khuehami, national convenor of the association. 'Many students are stranded mid-way or unable to travel beyond Banihal. These are life-shaping exams and the anxiety among the aspirants is palpable…,' he added. In a statement, the association urged the Education Ministry and Jamia authorities to either postpone the exams or conduct a separate round for the affected students. 'We are not seeking special treatment, just a fair opportunity,' Khuehami said. Another student, who had planned to travel to Delhi, said, 'I had booked my flight for tomorrow, but now I might not be able to make it to the exam centre.' 'There's no bus, no flight, nothing. We have reached out to Jamia but have received no response…,' he added. Speaking to The Indian Express, Jamia Chief Public Relations Officer Saima Saeed said, 'I am not aware that any such request has been made. No student has reached out to us.'
Scroll.in
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Scroll.in
Jammu and Kashmir students urge Amit Shah to withdraw DU circular seeking personal details
The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking withdrawal of a Delhi University circular that had asked them to submit their details, PTI reported on Tuesday. In the circular, the university asked its departments and affiliated colleges to collect details, including the Aadhaar number and residential address of students from Jammu and Kashmir, according to The Times of India. Defending the move, Delhi University proctor Rajni Abbi told PTI that the circular was issued 'for the better safety and security of the students from Jammu and Kashmir' in view of reports that they are being harassed in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Abbi claimed that the Delhi Police had requested the data and the circular was issued following directions from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The students' association, however, called the move 'community profiling' and a violation of fundamental rights. 'The information is being sought only from Kashmiri students, raising serious concerns of targeted surveillance,' the student association stated in its letter to Shah. 'This unjustified surveillance creates an atmosphere of fear and exclusion, rather than integration and belonging.' The group also asked why collecting the data was necessary, as the information was already made available during the university's admission process. 'We believe that your timely intervention can restore faith among Kashmiri students in the institutions meant to protect and nurture them,' it added. The attack at the Baisaran area near the town of Pahalgam on April 22 left 26 persons dead and 17 injured. The terrorists targeted tourists after asking their names to ascertain their religion, the police said. All but three of those killed were Hindu. Following the attack, incidents of violence and intimidation against Muslims were reported from Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Civil rights group People's Union for Democratic Rights had urged educational institutions to ensure the safety and well-being of Kashmiri students soon after the attack.
The Hindu
02-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Pahalgam attack casts a shadow over Jammu and Kashmir students outside State
On Thursday, Himanshi Narwal, wife of Indian Navy Lieutenant Vinay Narwal killed by terrorists in Pahalgam, made an appeal for peace and unity, urging the public not to direct anger or hatred towards Muslims or Kashmiris. Among those who have faced hostility are students from Jammu and Kashmir. The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association has documented 18 such incidents so far, concentrated in states such as Punjab, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu, Uttarakhand and Maharashtra. 'On a positive note, not a single case has been reported from South India,' said Nasir Khuehami, National Convenor of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, attributing it in-part to pre-emptive measures taken by State governments. 'I received calls from politicians and police officials from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and other states, seeking our suggestions on how to prevent violence against Kashmiris,' Nasir Khuehami. The Hindu spoke to several Kashmiri students in Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad, who said life has remained normal and they have not faced any hostility. But, in a few North Indian states, some Jammu and Kashmir have faced hostility and suspicion as sympathisers of terrorists. 'How could I eat?' Muhammad Iqbal, a Kashmiri shawl vendor in Mussoorie, was assaulted by locals just a day after the Pahalgam terror attack. 'Initially, three people approached me, checked my Aadhaar card, and began hurling abuses, targeting my mother and sister with vile language. Soon, nearly ten others joined in and slapped me repeatedly,' Iqbal told The Hindu. His hopes for a successful tourist season were abruptly replaced by fear and despair. 'I couldn't leave the house for two days. How could I even eat after going through something so traumatic?' he said. Iqbal was stunned that despite being an Indian citizen and contributing to the country's economy for years, he was unjustly associated with the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack. 'We had to run away' A spokesperson from Hindu Raksha Dal had shared a message on X , threatening Kashmiri Muslims to leave their homes in Dehradun or risk being punished. The video, which went viral, managed to spread fear among the students, who stayed indoors for days or spent exorbitant air fare to go home. 'I have my semester exams in two days. Yet, I did not risk being in Dehradun,' said Adil Nazir, who spent ₹11,000 to buy a last minute ticket to Kashmir. 'I stayed in the airport the whole night as I felt it would be safe and boarded the flight,' Adil, who is studying B pharmacy in Alpine Group of Institutes, Dehradun, told The Hindu. J&K students report that house owners who once shared meals with them are now asking them to vacate. Friendly glances from locals have turned into looks of suspicion. 'My landlord gave me two days to vacate. I'm still in shock—it's the same person who had been kind to me for over a year. One incident, where I have no role, and suddenly I'm treated like an enemy,' said Basheer (name changed), an undergraduate student in Chandigarh. For women students, the hostility took a gendered turn as verbal sexual harassment. 'A group of men on a street slut shamed me, insulted my religion and linked me with the Pahalgam attack,' said Ayesha (name changed), a student from Mumbai. Measures in place Many educational institutions have been taking counter-measures. In Doon Group of Colleges, Dehradun, where 120 Kashmir students are studying, the college management transferred students from outside to college hostels and arranged vehicles for their commute. 'Since examinations are happening now, we want to ensure they have a safe commute to the college. The management ensures that there is no harassment of the students,' said Mohsin Abas Dar, admission coordinator, Doon Group Of Colleges Dehradun. Zubair Abdul, a geology undergraduate from Jamia Millia Islamia, said that while his predominantly Muslim university remains a safe space, students are worried for the Kashmir diaspora in other regions. 'We've been taking precautions by avoiding gatherings, staying inside campus boundaries and not stepping out unnecessarily,' Zubair Abdul said. Kashmir students studying across the country have a whatsapp group, where incidents of violence and bigotry are reported. 'There's a lot of concern. It feels like a repetition of Pulwama,' Zubair said. Abdul (name changed), a 22-year-old BSc student from Chandigarh's Saraswathi College, said the atmosphere has become tense and uncertain since the Pahalgam attack. 'So many rumours are floating around,' he said. 'But, the police have visited our hostel and shared their contact numbers. Because exams are happening, security has been increased. If any Kashmiri student wants to go home, they're offering protection until we cross the Punjab border,' Abdul said. The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association reports that the number of reported cases of harassment were more after the 2019 Pulwama attack. Following the Pahalgam attack, fewer cases have been reported, yet the level of fear among students remains high. To ensure that these incidents do not escalate, Jammu and Kashmir Students Association is urging the Central government to create a mechanism with nodal officers from all Indian states and establish helpline numbers to reach out to Kashmir students in distress. 'Educational institutions with a good number of Kashmir students should set up grievance cells,' said Nasir.
