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Three J&K universities terminate agreements with US-based NGO

  • Aatif Qayoom By Aatif Qayoom
  • Comments 0
  • 13 Apr 2026

KU, IUST, SKUAST-K cancel MoUs citing adverse inputs Students interning with Kashmir Care Foundation flagged for background verification

Srinagar, Apr 12: Three major universities in Jammu and Kashmir have terminated their academic agreements with the US-based Kashmir Care Foundation (KCF), citing adverse inputs and institutional reviews.

The University of Kashmir (KU), Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), and Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) issued separate orders on March 25, 2026, cancelling their Memorandums of Understanding and Letter of Agreement with immediate effect.

According to official documents, the University of Kashmir stated that the continuation of the MoU was "not in the larger institutional interest," while clarifying that no intellectual or financial liabilities were accrued and no funds were solicited or disbursed during the agreement period.

IUST invoked the Force Majeure clause to terminate its agreement, confirming that no financial or contractual liabilities had accrued to either party. SKUAST-K cancelled its Letter of Agreement signed on April 15, 2025, through a memorandum issued by its Directorate of Research.

All three institutions addressed their communications to Mr Altaf A. Lal, President of Kashmir Care Foundation, Atlanta, USA.

Highly placed sources told Rising Kashmir that students currently doing internships with the NGO should act cautiously, as the organisation is under the scanner of agencies. Top sources also revealed that Kashmiri students associated with the foundation have reportedly come under the scrutiny of central intelligence agencies, with those interning or collaborating remotely being "flagged for background verification" as part of a broader review.

The fallout has extended to faculty members who were part of the collaboration. Emails accessed by media organisations show that some academicians have formally distanced themselves from the NGO, clarifying that their association was strictly under university directives and that they had no prior knowledge of the organisation. They have also requested the removal of their profiles and cessation of communication with the foundation.

While official termination orders do not provide specific details regarding the adverse inputs, sources suggest that the agreements came under scrutiny due to sensitive observations flagged during internal review processes, prompting universities to disengage as a precautionary measure.

Notably, all three universities have emphasised that no funds were exchanged and no liabilities were created, suggesting that the collaborations remained largely limited to academic outreach and proposed initiatives.

The agreements had been aimed at academic collaboration through workshops, seminars, and engagements in STEM, humanities, and related fields. The coordinated timing of the terminations across multiple institutions signals a growing caution around foreign academic collaborations, particularly in areas involving technology, research, and data exchange.

 

 

 

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