KOZHIKODE: Students from universities in India’s border states are growing increasingly anxious as their sanctioned official leave period came to an end on Monday. In the wake of tensions along the India-Pakistan border, many students -- including a significant number from Kerala -- had returned to their home states. However, universities are yet to issue any notification regarding the reopening of the campuses or the extension of leave.
At the Central University of Punjab (CUP), students allege that the authorities initially refused to grant leave despite reports of Pakistani drones being spotted above the campus. Leave was reportedly sanctioned only after the intervention of elected representatives, and even then, it was limited to May 12.
“The university has said that classes will continue in online mode till Friday,” Basil Saman, a CUP student, told TNIE. “However, the news we hear from Punjab is worrying as more drones were spotted in Amritsar. We are not ready to go back until there is complete peace there.”
With final semester exams and project presentations pending, students are in a dilemma. A similar situation prevails at other universities in the region, leaving students uncertain about their academic future.
A student from Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) in Jammu said that while the university announced classes would resume on Tuesday, student protests forced the administration to shift to online mode.
“It’s impossible for us to return to the campus right now. I’m still on a train to Kerala. Our parents are equally afraid given the tense situation near the border. We demand the authorities continue online classes until the situation in the valley is completely peaceful,” said Fathima Neha, a student at SKUAST.
Students have also alleged that universities in Punjab and Kashmir failed to implement adequate safety measures during episodes of heavy shelling and drone incursions.
“Punjab is one of the border states directly affected by the India-Pakistan conflict. Bathinda, where CUP is located, lies just 200km from the border. Since the conflict began, there was no advisory or communication from the university administration or local authorities regarding safety protocols,” said Shilpa, an SFI activist and PhD scholar at CUP.
Shilpa added that it was only after the situation worsened that the university issued a notice containing basic safety guidelines, followed by an announcement suspending classes until May 12, prompting students to leave for their homes.
Drones over campus
At Central University of Punjab, students allege that authorities initially refused to grant leave despite reports of Pakistani drones being spotted above the campus. Leave was reportedly sanctioned only after the intervention of elected representatives, and even then, it was limited to May 12.
Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology in Jammu announced classes will resume on Tuesday, but student protests forced the administration to shift to online mode