The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association on Sunday voiced serious concerns over the suspension of 35 students from Mewar University in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan. Nasir Khuehami, the association’s national convener, stated that the students had been protesting continuously for three days due to the university’s failure to secure necessary approvals from both the Rajasthan Nursing Council (RNC) and the Indian Nursing Council (INC) for its BSc Nursing program, according to the Indian Express’ report.
Khuehami emphasised that the lack of these approvals puts the students’ academic futures at risk. Instead of addressing their valid concerns, he said, the university chose to suspend them, which he described as an unjust and harsh action. “This response undermines the students’ right to advocate for their education,” Khuehami remarked.
According to a university order, the 35 second-year BSc Nursing students were suspended on Saturday for what was termed “nuisance and deplorable acts.” The order also bars the students from entering the campus until further notice and instructed them to vacate their hostels by 8 pm on Sunday, reported Indian Express.
In an interview with The Indian Express, the university’s Registrar, Pradeep Dey, attributed the issue to a “misunderstanding” and mentioned that the university had filed a case against the Rajasthan Nursing Council. He also noted that an investigation into the students’ conduct is ongoing.
Khuehami explained that the association has been tracking this issue for months, with the university repeatedly assuring students that the required approvals would be obtained soon. Two months ago, the university registrar even provided a written promise to resolve the matter. However, despite these assurances, no substantial progress has been made, and the university has now requested another month to settle the issue. Khuehami criticized the delay as unacceptable, leaving the students with no option but to protest.
He further pointed out that a scheduled meeting on October 18 with the university’s proctor to discuss the students’ concerns did not occur as expected, exacerbating their frustration. Instead of addressing the issue, Khuehami said the administration opted to suspend the protesting students, neglecting their academic futures.