NIT Srinagar forms panel to probe tension on campus

It has also been decided that the Board of Governors of the institute will consider the demand of outstation students regarding the formation of a Students’ Council. Besides, the board has approved optional external evaluation for the recent exams and has agreed that all national festivals will be celebrated on campus.

The decisions were announced by the NIT Srinagar management after its director Rajat Gupta and a senior official of the Human Resource Development Ministry met a group of outstation students on Tuesday.

The students had presented a charter of 19 demands, including that HRD Minister Smriti Irani or Prime Minister Narendra Modi visit the campus and hoist the national flag.

The minutes of the meeting, put by NIT administration on its website, however, do not mention if a decision has been taken with regard to the hoisting of the Tricolour.

According to the minutes, “a new committee for students grievance redressal, which has been constituted with two external members will do the fact-finding now and its report is likely to be submitted by May 15, 2016”. 

An official said earlier an interim report on the incidents had been submitted by a panel and the new committee would conduct further probe.

The Board of Governors will consider the report and formation of Students’ Council and its modalities. Optional external evaluation of one exam, on written request and irrevocable basis, has also been approved.

The NIT administration has agreed to their other demands, including strengthening medical facilities within 3-4 months, construction of two prefabricated hostels having 80 rooms, 15 classrooms within 6 months, reimbursement of medical claims of students injured in the recent clashes and setting up a food and fruit corner.

The issue of encroachment on NIT land has already been taken up and will be vigorously pursued with the state government by the institute’s administration and all national festivals will be celebrated, the minutes said.

Demands relating to improved facilities at the hostels will be expeditiously looked into by the institute.