Srinagar: Families and relatives of Kashmiri students studying nursing at a private university in Rajasthan staged a protest in Srinagar on Thursday, alleging that their children were detained for two days and subjected to mental harassment after raising concerns about the validity of their course.
The protest was organized by parents and relatives of students enrolled in the B.Sc Nursing courses at Mewar University in Rajasthan. Many of the affected students are in the final stages of their academic Programme and are reportedly approaching the eighth semester.
Protesters said the students had taken admission in the university under an education initiative linked to the Army’s Sadbhavana outreach Programme aimed at supporting students from Jammu and Kashmir. According to the families, the students had joined the course with the understanding that it was fully recognized and would allow them to pursue professional careers in nursing.
However, concerns surfaced recently after students reportedly discovered that the B.Sc Nursing Programme allegedly lacks approval from the Indian Nursing Council and the Rajasthan Nursing Council, raising fears that their degrees could become invalid for professional registration.
Parents participating in the demonstration said their children had spent nearly four years pursuing the course and were now facing uncertainty about the recognition of their qualification.
“Our children have almost completed their studies and are about to enter the final semester. Suddenly they are told the course may not be recognized. This is devastating for the families,” one protesting parent said.
According to the protesters, students at the university began raising questions about the approval status of the programme after seeking clarification from regulatory authorities. The situation reportedly escalated when students staged protests on the campus demanding transparency and official documentation confirming recognition of the course.
One of the protesters from Sopore, Tahir Maqbool told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that several students were detained during the protest by local authorities in Rajasthan and remained in custody for nearly two days before being released
“Our children were lodged in jail for two days. They were mentally harassed and treated like criminals for demanding their academic rights,” another relative told reporters during the protest in Srinagar.
Parents said many of the affected students belong to middle-class or economically weaker families and had relied on scholarships and government support to pursue higher education outside Jammu and Kashmir.
They expressed concern that if the course remains unrecognized, students may be forced to restart their education, resulting in significant financial losses and years of academic setback.
Protesters urged the authorities to intervene urgently to safeguard the future of the students. They appealed to the Government of India, the Jammu and Kashmir administration and concerned regulatory bodies to clarify the status of the nursing Programme and ensure that the students’ academic careers are protected.
Parents also demanded that the students be transferred to recognized institutions if the Programme does not obtain the required approvals.
“We only want justice for our children. They went there to study and build their careers, not to suffer humiliation and uncertainty,” a protesting parent said.
Parents warned that they will continue their agitation until clear assurances are provided regarding the recognition of the course and the safety of their children studying outside the Union Territory. [KNT]
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