Several Kashmiri nursing students were allegedly assaulted at Mewar University in Rajasthan after tensions flared during a campus protest over the regulatory approval status of their course, student representatives said earlier this week.
The incident occurred as students of the Bachelor of Science (BSc) Nursing programme intensified their agitation, alleging that the course lacks mandatory recognition from the Indian Nursing Council (INC) and the Rajasthan Nursing Council (RNC). According to the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA), at least four students were injured and a female student was allegedly manhandled during the confrontation.
The association said tensions escalated when protesters shut down university facilities, including the mess, as part of their demonstration.
Students told Millat Times that some faculty members attempted to forcibly enter the campus and that certain individuals provoked other groups of students, leading to scuffles.
Visuals shared by the students with Millat Times show chaos at the campus, with students marching through corridors, sitting on windowsills, and climbing onto terraces.
Some protesters further claimed that individuals arrived carrying knives, heightening fear among those participating in the protest. These allegations could not be independently verified, and local police have not issued a detailed public statement on the incident.
The unrest is the latest development in a dispute that dates back to 2023. The affected students were admitted under the Indian Army’s Goodwill/JKSSS scheme for the 2022–2026 batch. They said that at the time of admission, boards displayed across the campus stated that the college had approval from the INC and RNC.
However, about a year into the programme, students said they discovered that the required approvals were not in place. In 2023, they staged a protest lasting around 5–10 days seeking clarification from the university administration. According to students, authorities later presented a document claiming that INC approval had been obtained, prompting them to call off their protest.
“Later we found out that the paper shown to us was fake,” Sahil Tantray, a nursing student involved in the demonstrations, told Millat Times.
In 2024, students launched another protest that continued for 20 days and nights. Following this, the university submitted an affidavit in court stating that all necessary approvals would be secured within two months, and that failing this, students would be migrated to another recognised institution. On the basis of this assurance, students withdrew their protest.
They allege that even after five months, no progress was made. When they approached the registrar, they were told that a no-objection certificate (NOC) was pending and that only the health minister’s signature remained. Students claim similar explanations continued through 2025 and into 2026.
Recently, a group of students travelled to Jaipur to verify the status of their file with the authorities. “We were told there that no file related to us exists,” Sahil said. Following this, students resumed their protest, including a hunger strike that they say has now continued for 10 days.
The JKSA said that 33 Kashmiri students were earlier suspended for staging a peaceful demonstration seeking clarity on INC and RNC recognition, and that the suspensions have not yet been revoked. The association described the matter as academic and regulatory in nature and urged authorities not to communalise the issue.
With the current batch set to complete the course in a few months, students fear that without statutory recognition their degrees could be rendered invalid, jeopardising their eligibility for professional registration and employment. They have appealed to the Union Defence Ministry to intervene and ensure the matter is resolved without further delay.