Jadavpur University to provide immediate hostel accomodations to Kashmiri students

Kolkata: Jadavpur University has decided to provide accomodation to about 12 new admissions from Kashmir valley in its hostel immediately on a priority basis, Registrar Snehamanju Basu said Wednesday. The decision has been taken post the abrogation of Article 370 and the passage of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019.

A university official said the move was prompted by a message from the West Bengal government on Tuesday to see that Kashmiri students do not face any hardships, financial or otherwise as their families may not be in a position to help them. Telecom links in the Kashmir valley remains snapped due to the communication shutdown by the authorities to deter protests over the decision that seeks to redraw the map and future of the region, which has been at the centre of a protracted militancy movement. Normally it takes one and half months for a first year student to get a university hostel accomodation. Basu told PTI the step was taken so that the students of the premier institute from Jammu and Kashmir do not face any questions if they put up as paying guests in private residences outside the university campus.

To a question, Basu said the university has not taken any decision on second or final year Kashmiri students living in rented or PG accomodation. "However, if any senior Kashmiri student makes any request about shifting from PG to hostel accomodation, we will consider it," he said.

The Arts Faculty Students Union (AFSU) of the varsity, a Left-controlled union, has opened a helpline to come to the aid of Kashmiri students studying in the institution.

"We have put up the helpline number at the admission counter. Any Kashmiri student needing help can also approach us personally at the union office," an AFSU spokesman said.

The Vice-chancellor of state-run Rabindra Bharati University, Sabyasachi Basu Roy Choudhury said he has no official information about any Kashmiri student having enrolled in the university. "However, if there is confirmation about the presence of any Kashmiri student the institution will take all necessary measures to ensure his safety." Authorities of Visva-Bharati, a central university, could not tell immediately if there is any Kashmiri student in the institute. Presidency University Registrar Debajyoti Konar said the institute does not have any Kashmiri student. An IIT Kharagpur source said that the admission formalities of all first year students have been completed and the semester has begun but there is no update regarding any Kashmiri so far.