Delhi University asks colleges to collect personal data of Kashmiri students | Delhi News

NEW DELHI: Delhi University (DU) has asked its departments and affiliated colleges to collect personal data from students hailing from Jammu and Kashmir, including their Aadhaar numbers and current residential addresses in Delhi.
The directive, issued via an email from the Proctor’s Office, has triggered concerns among Kashmiri students, many of whom are worried about how their personal information may be used.

“We have received a communication from the Proctor’s Office, University of Delhi, requesting students from J&K to provide their Aadhaar number and residential address (for those residing in Delhi hostels/PGs or similar accommodations),” the email read.
The information, it added, was “essential for the Proctor’s Office to maintain accurate student records”, and asked for the details to be submitted by April 29.
DU Proctor Rajni Abbi told TOI the order came from MHA based on intelligence inputs, with the aim of ensuring the safety and protection of Kashmiri students in light of recent reports of harassment and assault in some states. “There were reports from a couple of places where students from Kashmir had been harassed or assaulted,” she said, adding Delhi Police wanted the data though it was unclear if a separate request had been made.
When TOI spoke to Kashmiri students in other key universities in Delhi, such as Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia Islamia, it learnt that no such data collection has been ordered in those institutions.
In 2022, Aligarh Muslim University had issued an order to collect personal details of Kashmiri students, including their permanent address back home. The order was withdrawn later after students expressed concern over their profiling. The same year, Christ College in Bengaluru was asked to submit data on Kashmiri students to police.
The exercise has unsettled Kashmiri students, who are apprehensive about how the data may be used. “We live with a sense of vulnerability. The collection of Aadhaar and addresses without a clear explanation only adds to our anxiety,” a student said, requesting anonymity.
The national convener of Jammu and Kashmir Students’ Association, Nasir Khuehami, said, “This is a blatant breach of privacy and a direct violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution. The justification by DU, that MHA has directed this data collection, is unacceptable as all such personal details are already submitted during the time of admission through official application forms.”
“We urge the Union home minister to take immediate cognizance of the matter and ensure immediate withdrawal of the circular to prevent any form of community profiling,” he said.
Many students were reluctant to speak, citing security concerns and fear of possible repercussions.
The data collection comes at a time when incidents of backlash against Kashmiris have been reported in the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack which killed 26 people.