The students of engineering, law, and IMBA departments at the University of Kashmir, Srinagar on Monday alleged the university authorities are not reopening the hostels despite taking the hostel fee from the students.
“We have already paid our [hostel] fees. Why are not they resuming the hostels?” Abrar Fayaz*, one of the students who travels from south Kashmir to reach the university told The Kashmir Walla.
The colleges and universities across Kashmir were reopened on 20 February after the closure of 18 months, initially because of the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s limited autonomy and then due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Fayaz said that there are more than a hundred students who live in university hostels. “The classes have been resumed. Where will we go?”
Fayaz added: “This is what we call harassment.”
He said that he, along with many other students, has to travel from far-flung areas, to reach the university. “It is really difficult for us. We want the authorities to look into the matter and reopen the hostels for us,” said Fayaz.
He said that the students are in a state of mental trauma as it becomes extremely difficult for them to travel from far-flung areas to attend offline classes on time. “It adds to our financial burden as well,” said Fayaz
Aijaz Mohammad Sheikh, a professor at the University of Kashmir and Provost said that the hostels belong to students only and the university hasn’t closed them for the students. “We are opening the hostels in a staggered manner considering the COVID-19 situation,” he said.
Sheikh was a part of the meeting held regarding the reopening of hostels. “We are going to hold another meeting in this regard tomorrow, I believe,” he said. “We will take a call in a day or two to resolve the issue.
