Kashmir Students Ask Punjab Chief Minister To Relax Fee Submission Dates in Universities
New Delhi:
Students of Jammu and Kashmir have written to Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh asking him to consider instructing colleges and universities in Punjab to extend fee submission dates for exams. They allege that many Punjab institutions are insisting that students pay their semester fees within a few days. The students said that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the ban on high speed internet in Kashmir has made it difficult for them to pay the fees on time.
In the letter addressed to the Chief Minister, Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, a students’ body, said: This is bizarre and rather shocking that many Punjab-based colleges and universities are continuously asking students to submit their semester fee within days which is not possible owing to the ongoing crisis.”
Paying Fees During COVID-19 Lockdown
“Due to continuous ban on high internet connectivity (4G services) Kashmiri students can’t attend their online classes and exams also. We have received hundreds of distress calls wherein students have said that colleges and universities are forcing them to pay fee online or else they have to pay late fees,” the association’s letter said.
Pointing out that the education sector is the worst hit area in Kashmir, the association said that the continuous ban on internet has put them at a disadvantage compared to students from other regions of India as they are unable to access online resources. The Students have requested Mr Singh to instruct colleges and universities to allow relaxations for students hailing from Jammu and Kashmir.
Jammu and Kashmir, especially Kashmir valley, has seen an internet ban ever since Jammu and Kashmir was split into two union territories after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. The Government of India had recently allowed 2G services to resume in Jammu and kashmir.
NDTV
