Kashmiri Students Seek Accountability in DBU Admission Controversy

New Delhi: In a recent development, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association has taken a significant step in seeking justice for the Kashmiri students entangled in an admission crisis at Desh Bhagat University (DBU) in Punjab. The association has directed their concerns to the Union Minister for Health and Medical Education, Mansukh Mandaviya, and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, urging accountability in the transfer of Kashmiri students enrolled in various paramedical courses from DBU to Sardar Lal Singh College, Punjab, without their consent.

National Convenor of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, Nasir Khuehami, voiced the distressing situation these students face. In a press release by the association, he stated, "For the past two years, nursing students at DBU have been protesting against the University administration's arbitrary decision to transfer their admissions to a college that lacks approval from the INC (Indian Nursing Council) and PNRC (Punjab Nursing Registration Council). These students' futures hang in the balance. Today, while peacefully protesting, female students were subjected to a lathi charge and confined within a university building to silence their voices against this unjust decision."

The issue stems from DBU's unilateral transfer of approximately 70 Kashmiri students pursuing various paramedical courses to Sardar Lal Singh College without obtaining their consent. This move, initiated last year, affected around 500 students from the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Notably, while affiliated with DBU Punjab, Sardar Lal Singh Memorial College lacks recognition from the Indian Nursing Council, raising concerns about the student's education and future career prospects.

Khuehami further highlighted the overcrowding at DBU, stating, "It has come to light that Desh Bhagat University, Punjab, admitted 140 students, far exceeding the approved intake capacity, which ranges from 40 to 60 students. Consequently, these students are enduring immense stress and hardship, fearing that their career prospects are unjustly jeopardised due to the university's actions."

Despite assurances from the university authorities that the issue would be resolved when confronted by affected students last year, the situation has deteriorated over time. The DBU administration has informed students who are now in their third year of studies that they must cancel their admissions, leaving them with limited options and a bleak academic future.

Nasir Khuehami passionately appealed to Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, urging them to protect these students' registrations and allow them to continue their nursing education without further hindrance. He emphasised the need for an expeditious investigation to determine how DBU admitted more students than permitted by the Indian Nursing Council and to hold those responsible accountable.

The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association continues to fight for justice on behalf of these students, demanding transparency and resolution in the best interest of the young, aspiring nurses caught in this predicament.