The BCA 3rd semester students are up in the arms against the Kashmir University (KU) authorities for its decision to set up their examination centre at SP College Srinagar.

The aggrieved students said the decision was anti-students as the venue sans the student friendly atmosphere given the prolonged student protest in the premises of the institution.

“We fail to understand how KU authorities designated this college as exam centre. The situation in the campus hostile and students can’t appear in their exams inside the premises given the prevailing protests by students,” the agitated students said.

The students also complained of harassment at the hands of JK Police on Monday (May 15) on the first day of their examination in the College.

“Once we reached the venue to appear in our exams, we were stopped by police and took our Identity cards besides harassing us for entering the premises. Some students were not allowed to enter the premises through main gate given the ongoing clashes in the campus,” the students said.

The students said their vehicles and bikes parked in the examination venue were also damaged due to stone pelting between JK Police and students.

“The exam centre doesn’t have any feasible atmosphere for students to appear in exams. Clashes and protest erupt in the campus frequently from the past one month which has forced the administration to suspend the class work in the SP school located in the vicinity of the college,” the students said.

The students accused KU authorities of being negligent to the hostile situation in the SP College campus and forcing students to appear in the exams amid student protests.

“University authorities are negligent to the issue and want us to appear in the exams in the campus. The decision has caused inconvenience to the students,” they said.

Referring to the May 15 incident when clashes between students and Police lasted for hours, the students said the students appearing in the exams couldn’t concentrate on their paper and were forced to inhale the smoke emanating from tear gas shells

“Police lobbed tear gas shells to disperse protesting students but the shells landed inside the premises and we had to inhale smoke causing distractions in our examination,” the students said.

They said some of the students also fell unconscious and were later hospitalized.

“We don’t feel safe in the College. We appeal the Kashmir University authorities to shift our examination centre to other location from our second paper which is scheduled on May 22,” the students said.

Students said they approached the University authorities with a plea to the change the exam centre. However, they gave deaf ears to it.

“The officials in KU gave unsympathetic response and said Kashmir University is not responsible for our safety,” the students alleged.

The official in Kashmir University’s examination department said the issue will be looked into.

“We will consider the student demand and will try to resolve the issue,” the official said.

Guest