NIT Kurukshetra shuts hostels, declares 'vacation' until further notice

Amid massive protest demanding immediate action on ongoing issues, the National Institute of Technology Kurukshetra has directed all students to vacate hostels by Sunday, April 19. The institute has also announced a temporary suspension of academic activities until further notice, citing the “prevailing situation” on campus. According to an official notice issued on April 18, 2026, students enrolled in undergraduate (UG), postgraduate (PG), and PhD programmes have been placed on vacation with immediate effect. The latest order supersedes an earlier notification dated April 16, indicating a rapidly evolving situation over the past few days. Authorities are yet to give clarity on academic activities.

NIT Kurukshetra has a total of 15 hostels, including 11 for boys and 4 for girls, accommodating several thousand students. Among the boys’ hostels, H10 houses around 1,000 students, H7 has approximately 600–700, while H11 and H8 accommodate about 500 students each. Hostels H1 to H6 together hosts nearly 2,400 students, with roughly 400 residents in each. On the girls’ side, Cauvery hostel has around 300 students, Kalpana about 500, Alaknanda close to 200, and Bhagirathi approximately 300.

NIT Kurukshetra has shifted practical examinations to online mode, while the revised schedule for theory exams is still awaited. “The revised examination schedule, including practical examinations, will be communicated in due course,” the institute said in its notification. It added that students would be informed well in advance before the commencement of exams and advised them to regularly check the official website for updates.

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What prompted protest?

A second-year student was found hanging in NIT Kurukshetra hostel room on April 16, marking the fourth student suicide on campus in the last two months. This has raised serious concerns among students and parents. According to media reports, the police were informed soon after the incident and reached the campus to begin an investigation. The student’s body was later sent for a post-mortem examination. The deceased was enrolled in the Artificial Intelligence and Data Science programme.

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Following the incident, students gathered on campus and staged overnight protests, demanding accountability from the administration. Visuals circulating on social media showed large groups of students sitting in protest late into the night, calling for immediate action. Students said the repeated incidents highlight deeper issues, including academic pressure, inadequate mental health support, and a lack of effective counselling services.