Classes resume at NIT Srinagar, 80% students return

SRINAGAR :Classes have resumed at the National Institute of Technology, Srinagar, almost twoand-a-half months after the government had them suspended, ahead of the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status on August 5.

Dean academic affairs Kowsar Majeed said, “Classes resumed from October 21 (Monday). Almost 80% students, local as well as well as from outside the state, have returned.”

On August 3, students, particularly non-locals left NIT, after the administration put up a notice saying classes were being suspended till further orders. Around 800 students are enrolled in the NIT and half of them are from different states of the country.

Kowsar said senior students studying in the seventh semester and those pursuing Phds and online courses have not returned as the internet services have been blocked.

“Education without internet is an outdated concept. The internet is as good as a library or book, so some students have not returned as they will be unable to access the internet. The government should consider restoring internet services as soon as possible so that the student community does not suffer any more,” she said.

J&K was put under a security and communication lockdown and schools and higher educational institutions were closed as the central government revoked the special status of the state and split the region into two Union territories on August 5.

Kowsar said that students had just started the new autumn session which starts from August 1 when the institute had to close on August 3.

“We just took two days of classes of the autumn session when things changed. We will now have difficulty completing the syllabus as we have time bound courses and winter is close. Our spring session will start from March,” she said.

The authorities of the institute are thinking on reducing the winter vacations. “We close for winter in November but this time we may extend to December and winter vacation will also be squeezed,” she said

Though the government has opened schools and colleges but students have mostly stayed away from them due to the situation in the Valley.

Though the government has lifted restrictions and opened postpaid mobile services but normal life has not resumed as a spontaneous shutdown has continued. Public transport has remained off the roads while shops and markets remained mostly shut during these 80 days.