Students in KU Fear Chief Proctor More Than North Koreans Fear Kim Jong Un”, Says Student Activist Nasir Khuehami
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir government has not officially banned student politics, associations, or unions in the Kashmir region, as revealed by an RTI response. Earlier, in reply to the same RTI, it was also stated that no ban exists on student politics in the Jammu region.
Officials from the Higher Education Department confirmed that no official communication or order has ever been issued imposing such a restriction.
The RTI was filed by Nasir Khuehami, National Convenor of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, seeking a copy of any official order banning student activism or associations in universities and educational institutions across Jammu and Kashmir.
In response, officials, as per JKSA in a statement issued to media, clarified that no government directive prohibits student associations or restricts their formation and functioning in the Union Territory.
The RTI’s response the JKSA, as per Alfaaz – The Words, said dispels misconceptions about a ban on student activism, affirming that no official restrictions exist on campus politics in J&K.
Khuehami said he sought official confirmation on whether any order prohibits student unions or campus politics at Kashmir University. He submitted similar RTI requests to various universities in Kashmir, and the response from Kashmir University stood out. While other universities simply stated that no official ban exists, Kashmir University’s reply revealed something different.
Several institution, including the University of Jammu, Central University of Jammu, Government College for Women Gandhi Nagar Jammu, Central University of Kashmir, and Islamic University of Science and Technology, confirmed in their responses that no official order banning student politics has been issued, either by the universities themselves or by the government. They further clarified that they have not prohibited the formation of student associations or unions.
However, the RTI reply from the University of Kashmir states that there is no need for a student union because a transparent system is already in place. The university clarified that it has not issued any formal order banning student unions, nor has it received any official communication from the government restricting their formation. However, in its response, the university’s Proctor mentioned that student unions were verbally banned in 2009 by then Vice-Chancellor Prof. Riyaz Punjabi. This decision was never implemented through any written or official order but was merely a verbal directive. The reply also claimed that the university has a proper grievance redressal mechanism in place.
Reacting to this, Khuehami dismissed the university’s claim of having a “proper grievance cell,” calling it gaslighting. “Any student who is privy to Kashmir University’s defunct system knows better, especially those who suffer daily.”
He further remarked, “Which Kashmir University student doesn’t know that if they speak up about university issues, they are summoned by the Chief Proctor the next day? Students fear the University Chief Proctor more than North Koreans fear Kim Jong Un. They say he is anything but an academician.”
Khuehami also criticized the university’s justification for not having a student union. “Kashmir University says it doesn’t need a student union because it has a ‘transparent’ grievance redressal system. But who accredited them as transparent? Isn’t it laughable to those students who endure hardships daily due to the absence of a functioning student union?”
He argued that student unions are integral to a vibrant higher education system. Every major institution in India including Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Delhi University (DU), and TISS, operates within transparent frameworks while also having active student unions. Transparency and student representation are not mutually exclusive. If anything, they strengthen each other.
Khuehami believes that Kashmir University hides behind “law and order” excuses to evade accountability.
“Student unions and associations hold university authorities accountable, and Kashmir University is not ready for that. They fear being questioned about their unbridled onslaught on the quality of education.”
Universities have long been incubators of debate and free thought, spaces where ideas are nurtured and challenged. A functional student body is essential to act as a watchdog against mismanagement, providing corrective measures to restore credibility.
If Kashmir University is serious about upholding democratic values and fostering an environment of free expression, it must immediately revoke its informal, unofficial, and arbitrary stance on student representation.
The institution must align itself with the principles of academic freedom and student participation rather than maintaining an outdated, undemocratic, and unaccountable restriction that has no legal or moral standing.
(courtesy :Alfaz the words )
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