Srinagar, July 24 (KNO): As the government has directed all private and government institutions not to deprive any student from pursuing the education during COVID-19 crisis, the students of Central University of Kashmir (CUK) Friday alleged that the management of the varsity is compelling them to pay the charges of two semesters simultaneously.
Nadia Rashid Naik, spokesperson CUK students’ federation told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the students of 7th semester and being compelled to pay the semester fee of 8th semester as well.
“I am pursuing law studies at CUK and currently I am in the 7th semester. The CUK authorities are compelling us to pay the registration charges of both semesters,” Naik said.
“This is not the case of only 7th semester students, but of all students,” she said.
She said that there are many students who have no earning hand in their family and in times of Coronavirus pandemic wherein their family members are sitting idle at home, the CUK authorities are asking them to pay the charges of both semesters.
The students’ spokesperson said that the CUK management has set a last date of submitting the fee till July-28.
“This is not possible for most of the students as from past year, the Kashmir valley was reeling under the shutdown following the abrogation of Article-370 and since March it was put under safety lockdown in view of COVID-19,” Naik said.
CUK Registrar Farooq Ahmad Shah told KNO that the fee was pending since the beginning of the semester.
“This semester fee was supposed to be collected in the month of March-April, however, due to the COVID-19 crisis, we couldn’t,” he said.
Shah said, “But now by the end of this month we are supposed to collect it. We are not asking for the fee of two semesters.”—(KNO)