Srinagar, Jan 13: A delegation of Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, led by its National Secretary Malik Adnan, met Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet Minister Javed Ahmad Dar to discuss the long-pending issue of excess fee refunds for students of the Government B.Sc. Nursing College, Jammu. The delegation also highlighted various other issues faced by students. Members of the delegation included Nasir Lateef, Umar Rashid, and Wasim Amin.
Malik Adnan, the National Secretary of the Association, said that these students had secured admission through the JKBOPEE Entrance Test and were top-ranking candidates from the Jammu division. However, they were charged exorbitant fees—₹70,000 for APL students and ₹50,000 for BPL students—far higher than the fee structure prescribed by the Health & Medical Education Department.
He explained that, following protests and interventions by higher authorities, students from other government nursing colleges in Jammu, including those in Gangyal, Akhnoor, Reasi, Udhampur, and Kishtwar, received refunds for the excess fees (₹60,000 for APL and ₹40,000 for BPL). However, students of Gandhinagar College were excluded on the grounds that the college was then under the Higher Education Department. This was despite the fact that, at the time of admission, the college was listed—like other government colleges—under JKBOPEE with the same admission criteria and fee structure.
Adding to their grievances, the college was transferred to the Health & Medical Education Department in 2022 and merged with the Government Nursing College Gangyal. Despite this, students from Gangyal received fee refunds, while those from Gandhinagar did not, even though they were placed under the same administrative umbrella.
Responding to the concerns raised by the delegation, Minister Javed Ahmad Dar wrote to the concerned department, ensuring swift action on the matter. He assured the delegation of his commitment to resolving the issue, stating, “The students’ demands are genuine, and this discrepancy needs to be addressed at the earliest.”
