The Uttar Pradesh government has sent buses to Kota, a coaching hub in Rajasthan to get the students back home after they started a social media campaign #SendUsBackHome. Over 7,500 students from UP are preparing for competitive examinations in Kota and many engage in self-studies too without enrolling for any coaching programme in any institute in Kota. The estimated number of students is 10,000 in total.

The government sent in 170 buses to get the students back. Some were accompanied by their parents as well. Kota district PRO Hariom Gurjar said that the Yogi Adityanath government has assured that it would send more buses if required. Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot appreciated the move by the UP government saying other state governments should also follow it.

Until Saturday night, 2700 students arrived in Jhansi in 108 buses from Kota. The students then left for their hometowns in 100 buses between 11 pm and 2 pm on Friday and Saturday night from different departure points. The government had initially sent 250 buses to Kota estimating the count of students to be around 7,500 but more students had arrived at the three designated departure spots after they heard about this travel arrangement. According to UP government spokespersons, the Kota administration had prepared a list of students according to the enrolment in the coaching institutes and hence, it did not include the students who are into self-study. Additional superintendent of police Rajesh Mill who is overseeing the exercise said that the government is yet to send in resources to bring back the students who have not enrolled in any institutions in Kota.

Source: PTI