Shabir Khan
On Wednesday, scores of parents thronged Srinagar’s Press Colony to protest against their exam centres being located outside their Jammu Kashmir. Joined by aspirants, the protesting parents demanded a prompt resolution to their issue at the earliest.
Scores of Kashmiri students appearing in the Common University Entrance Test 2023 are aghast as their exam centres have been designated in Punjab, hundreds of miles away from Kashmir valley.
The Common University Entrance Test (CUET (UG) – 2023) was introduced for admission into all UG Programmes in all Central Universities for academic session 2023-24 under the Ministry of Education, (MoE).
Speaking to The Kashmiriyat, a student Azhar Amin said that despite the fact that he did not prefer to attend the entrance test outside Jammu Kashmir, the National Testing Agency (NTA), conducting the exams, has allotted Punjab as the Centre of Examination.
“At the time of the filling of the form in April, the students were asked to choose among various exam centres. Most of the Kashmiri students I know of had chose Pulwama which means there were at least two designated centres in Kashmir, but despite that most of the Kashmiri students have been allotted centres outside Kashmir,” another student said.
A shopkeeper who fills educational forms throughout the year for various courses said, “I have filled around hundred forms. The majority of those candidates hail from financially disadvantaged families. All of them have been designated centres outside Kashmir valley. Covering the costs of traveling outside Kashmir becomes an obstacle,” said Mohammed Haris, who wished his name to be changed.
Most of the students have been allotted centres outside the Kashmir valley, Dozens of Kashmiri students whose entrance city notices were accessed by The Kashmiriyat show. “It will cost us thousands of rupees to attend a simple entrance exam. The Government claimed that the CUET was to provide equal opportunities to the underprivileged students, however, it seems that the Government is least interested in the poor when it comes to the ground,” the student from Kulgam said.
“How exactly is this Government helping the poor when we already are worried about the costs of our travel to Punjab where we have been asked to attend the entrance test?” the student asked. He said that his father, who is a labourer by profession has already started gathering money for the travel to Punjab for the entrance test scheduled on May 27.
Kashmiri students suffered significant disruption as a result of NTA’s decision to open exam centres outside of JK. These students were already burdened from the difficulties of studying for the difficult entrance exam.
Politicians have also condemned the move to establish exam centres outside Jammu Kashmir. “National Testing Agency conducting exams for various UG courses have designated the examination centres of most of J & K students outside the region, making it challenging for them to write their exams. Poor students lack wherewithal to pay for the travel expenses,” MY Tarigami said.