Calls it ‘grave assault on academic rights’
SRINAGAR: Noted social and student rights activist Er. Ehtisham Khan, Co-Founder of The Purpose, has strongly condemned the reported arrest of 17 Kashmiri students pursuing the BSc Nursing programme at Mewar University in Rajasthan, describing the development as “deeply disturbing and a grave setback to the academic rights and dignity of students.”
According to information received from students and supported by media reports, seventeen students from Jammu and Kashmir were taken into custody by the local police on the morning of 9 March 2026 following the ongoing dispute between students and the university administration. The students were reportedly presented before a local court and subsequently shifted to a police station in Chittorgarh, while an FIR has allegedly been registered against them.
Khan said the development is particularly alarming as the matter had already been brought to the attention of the offices of the Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan, as well as the Chief Secretaries of both states. The Chief Minister’s Office in Jammu and Kashmir had acknowledged the issue earlier and sought contact details of the affected students for coordination.
“It is extremely disheartening that despite institutional outreach and appeals for intervention, the situation has escalated to a point where students raising legitimate academic concerns are now facing arrests and intimidation. As a social and student rights activist, this development is profoundly disturbing,” Khan stated.
He further revealed that during a recent conversation with one of the female students on campus, serious concerns were raised regarding the conduct of the university administration.
“The student informed me that the university management is allegedly threatening the Kashmiri students with severe consequences, including ruining their careers and forcibly evicting them from hostels if they continue to raise their concerns. Such intimidation, particularly against young students far away from their homes, is deeply troubling and unacceptable,” Khan said.
Khan stressed that subjecting students to such conditions of fear and uncertainty cannot be justified in a democratic country like India.
“Students asking for clarity regarding their academic future cannot be treated as offenders. Arresting them and creating an atmosphere of intimidation only aggravates the crisis. Subjecting young students to such misery is unacceptable and must be addressed without any further delay,” he added.
Khan called upon the Government of Rajasthan to immediately review the arrests and ensure that the students are treated fairly and humanely. He also urged the Government of Jammu and Kashmir to actively coordinate with their counterparts in Rajasthan to safeguard the safety, dignity, and academic future of the students.
He further appealed to the National Medical Commission and other concerned regulatory authorities to take cognizance of the matter and ensure that the academic and institutional obligations of the university towards the students are being fulfilled.
Khan also urged opposition leaders in Rajasthan and political parties across Jammu and Kashmir to raise the issue with urgency and build the necessary political and institutional pressure to secure justice for the affected students.
“The academic careers of these young students cannot be sacrificed at the altar of administrative rigidity or institutional ego. They left their homes with dreams of building a dignified future, and it is the collective responsibility of governments, institutions, and political leadership to ensure that their rights and aspirations are protected,” Khan remarked.
He demanded the immediate review of the arrests, protection for the remaining students on campus, and urgent dialogue between the authorities and student representatives to bring the crisis to a just and peaceful resolution.
“I sincerely hope that all stakeholders will rise to the occasion and ensure that justice prevails. The safety, dignity, and academic future of these students must not be compromised under any circumstances,” Khan added