As NIT Srinagar row continues, institute constitutes committee to probe violence

New Delhi: NIT Srinagar has constituted a students’ grievance redressal committee, which will include two external members, to go into the incidents that led to tension on the campus, and has asked it to submit its report on 15 May. It has also been decided that the Board of Governors of the institute will consider the outstation students’ demand for formation of a Students’ Council, optional external evaluation to be held for recent exams and all national festivals to be celebrated on the campus. These decisions were announced by the NIT Srinagar management after its Director Rajat Gupta and a senior HRD official met a group of outstation students on Tuesday. The students had presented a a charter of 19 demands, including that HRD Minister Smriti Irani or Prime Minister Narendra Modi visit the campus and hoist the national flag. [caption id=“attachment_2740134” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  NIT Srinagar. File photo. IBNLive[/caption] The minutes of the meeting, put by NIT administration on its website, however, do not mention whether any decision was taken with regard to the hoisting of the tricolour. According to the minutes, “a new committee for students grievance redressal which has been constituted with two external members will do the fact finding now and its report is likely to be submitted by 15 May, 2016.” An official said earlier an interim report on the incidents had been submitted by a panel and the new committee would conduct further probe. The Board of Governors will consider the report and formation of students’ council and its modalities. Optional external evaluation of the minor one exam, on written request and irrevocable basis, has also been approved. The NIT administration has agreed to their other demands including strengthening medical facilities within 3-4 months, construction of two prefabricated hostels having 80 rooms besides 15 classrooms within 6 months, reimbursement of medical claims of students injured in the recent clashes, and setting up food and fruit corner. The issue of encroachment of NIT land has already been taken up and will be vigorously pursued with state government by the institute’s administration and all national festivals will be celebrated, the minutes said. Demands relating to improved facilities at the hostels will be expeditiously looked into by the institute.