Srinagar, Apr 11 (IANS): A majority of non-local students at the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Srinagar, on Monday did not appear for exams being held for various classes.

However, all the local students sat for the exams.

The union ministry of human resource development (MHRD) had already conveyed to the non-local students that if they do not appear for the exams, they would be permitted to sit for them on a later date.

The students blamed the tension at the NIT for not taking the exams.

Around two dozen non-local students have already left the campus and gone home.

While all other demands of the non-local students have been met by the state government and the three-member team of the MHRD, their demand to shift the NIT outside of the Valley has been rejected.

State Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, who engaged in detailed negotiations with the representatives of non-local students for two days, said that since majority of the demands made by the protesting students were met, the tension at the NIT should end soon.

With regard to the demand of the non-local students to punish policemen who carried out a baton charge on April 4, Nirmal Singh said a magisterial probe into the unrest has been ordered and if there had been any dereliction of duty, the guilty policemen would be punished.