Suspension of Classes at NIT in Srinagar: South Indian students in grip of panic

Hyderabad: Ramachander, (name changed), a BTech second-year student at National Institute of Technology, Srinagar, was seized by a sudden fit of panic when the students were asked to vacate hostels immediately and leave the institute.

He hailed from Telangana State. He is one among 300 students from South India, out of 1,500 students from different parts of the country studying at the NIT, Srinagar.

According to the students they had come to know that the institute suspended all classwork from Saturday, "until further orders." Further, they were asked to leave the campus immediately.

Giving details of the panic spread among the students, his batchmate, Payal Dixit, from Chandighar, studying in the Chemical Engineering said, "The circular was released on Friday evening. But, all of us came to know about it only on Saturday morning.

Though it was rumoured that tension prevailed in the valley, everything in the campus was normal. There are also some workshops and class seminars about to begin on Saturday morning," she added.

However, the students were left with no time even to make inquires with either Director's or Registrar's office about the circular. "We have to pack our belongings and leave in the buses arranged for us to leave Srinagar to Jammu," she clarified.

When contacted officials of Director's office confirmed that classes were suspended until further orders with effect from Saturday.

Further, about 1,500 students from different parts of the country studying at the institutes had already started leaving the campus to Jammu in the buses arranged for them.

The buses carrying students started leaving the campus to Jammu from 10 am onwards, they added. The buses were arranged by the local district administration following a request made by the institute, they said.

Speaking to The Hans India, an associate dean said they were also not in the loop about the circular till Saturday morning over the suspension of the classes.

But, only after all the students had left the campus that the registrar's office which had issued the circular realised that it had taken an advisory issued by the district administration with a pinch of salt and issued the circular suspending the classes.

Further, "everything around is tense so it might have impacted on the circular," he added.