Srinagar, Dec 18 (KINS): The Jammu & Kashmir Students’ Association (JKSA) National Convener, Nasir Khuehami, on Thursday met Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and apprised him of the ongoing hostel accommodation crisis faced by Kashmiri students at Jamia Millia Islamia University (JMI), New Delhi.
During the meeting, Khuehami expressed grave concern that the hostel specifically meant for students from Jammu and Kashmir is presently being occupied by students from other states, leaving a large number of Kashmiri students without access to proper on-campus accommodation. He informed the Chief Minister that due to the unavailability of hostel facilities, several Kashmiri students have been forced to discontinue their studies midway or compelled to seek expensive and often unsafe private accommodation in Delhi, resulting in severe academic, financial, and psychological hardship.
Khuehami stated that the dedicated hostel for students from Jammu and Kashmir was envisioned in 2012, following an agreement signed between the Ministry of Home Affairs, the then Government of Jammu and Kashmir led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and Jamia Millia Islamia University. The project, valued at ₹16.22 crore, was designed to provide hostel accommodation to 700 students from J&K. The accord was signed in the presence of the then Union Home Minister, P. Chidambaram, and then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
However, despite the hostel being constructed exclusively for students from Jammu and Kashmir, the majority of its current residents are from other states, perpetuating accommodation difficulties for Kashmiri students on campus. Terming the situation as “bizarre and unfortunate,” the delegation noted that even after the hostel’s construction, Kashmiri students continue to be denied accommodation despite applying for it, forcing many either to abandon their education or refrain from enrolling at the university altogether.
Khuehami urged the Chief Minister to raise the matter with the concerned authorities and press for urgent corrective measures, including restoring the hostel to its original mandate and enhancing on-campus accommodation facilities for Jammu and Kashmiri students. He also highlighted the daily challenges faced by students residing off-campus, such as disputes over electricity and water usage, rent-related harassment, and other issues that adversely affect their studies and mental well-being.
Responding to the concerns, the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah assured the Khuehami that the issue would be taken up immediately with the Central Government and the university authorities to ensure a just and lasting resolution of the issue. He further conveyed that he would personally visit Jamia Millia Islamia in January to review the situation firsthand and interact with the affected students.
The Jammu & Kashmir Students’ Association expressed hope that urgent and concrete corrective action will be taken to ensure that the hostel fulfils its original purpose of providing safe, affordable, and dignified accommodation to students from Jammu and Kashmir at Jamia Millia Islamia University.(KINS)
