Sign affidavit declaring non-involvement in violence, PU to Kashmiri students

Kashmiri students with short attendance due to clampdown in the Valley will be allowed to write their examinations only if they furnish a self-attested affidavit declaring they were not involved in any kind of violence in that period, according to directions by Panjab University to its department heads.

The directions come even as higher education department had written to PU and other institutes to help Kashmiri students in the wake of communication blockade in the Valley.

The department had directed educational institutes on November 30 that no Kashmiri student should be harassed for delay of fee or attendance shortage resulting from clampdown in Valley.

After the abrogation of Article 370, many Kashmiri students left their universities and colleges to go back home and many of them faced financial issues.

A Kashmiri student, pleading anonymity, said, “My parents were not able to send me money on time due to the ongoing clampdown in Kashmir. So, I approached the university authorities for a late fee waiver and I was told to provide a signed affidavit as a proof that I was not involved in any kind of violence during this time period.”

Dean of University Instructions, Shankar Ji Jha said, “There were some Kashmiri students who were facing attendance issues. They said that they couldn’t attend classes due to clampdown in the Valley. The committee asked them to provide any proof that they were in Kashmir when they were not present here. If they do not have proof, they need to give a written affidavit stating that the clampdown was the reason for them not being here.”