UGC Cautions J&K Students Against Taking Admissions In Educational Institutions In PoK

The University Grants Commission (UGC), which comes under the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), has asked students from Jammu and Kashmir to avoid enrolling for any courses in universities in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) , reports The Hindu.

According to the report, UGC secretary Rajnish Jain, in an advisory issued on 8 May, cautioned the students against taking admissions in ‘unapproved institutions in Pok’.

“Since PoK is an integral part of the Union of India and the educational institutes, including universities and medical colleges, are not established by the Government of India nor recognised by the UGC or the All India Council for Technical Education or the Medical Council of India, therefore students are cautioned against taking any admission in any college in any territory under illegal occupation of Pakistan, including PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan,” reads the UGC communique, as reported by The Hindu.

As per the report, the move comes after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) was asked to take a call on 25 J&K students pursuing their courses in medical colleges in PoK, where five medical colleges have reserved 6 per cent seats for J&K students. Following this, MEA directed the MHRD to advise J&K students against such admissions.