J&K: CUET Aspirants, Political Parties Upset Over Allotment of Centres Outside Valley

Srinagar: Students from Kashmir appearing in the Common University Entrance Test (CUET-UG) are dismayed over the allotment of their exam centres outside the region that many claim has resulted in serious inconvenience.

The travel to these centres outside Kashmir valley many claimed has put extra burden on students, especially from the economically weaker backgrounds.

Several students claimed that they had applied for centres within the valley for the entrance test being conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) but none of their preferred choices was taken into account.

“For many of us, it is not a matter of choice. It is very difficult for me to travel all the way to Chandigarh. Instead of easing out difficulties they have only increased them,” Fiza, a student, said.

Another student, Farhan, said that travelling from Kashmir is not easy as both air and land travel causes exhaustion. “Also, we have to pay extremely high rates for air tickets which a majority cannot afford. These issues are real for us and such inconvenience ahead of exams spoils the spirit,” he said.

The J&K Students Association (JKSA) has written a letter to union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha to intervene and establish the examination venues within Jammu and Kashmir.

In a statement, the association’s convenor, Nasir Khuehami, said the decision had left hundreds of students in a state of despair. “Many of these students come from impoverished families, making it difficult for them to afford the expenses of travelling outside of Jammu and Kashmir. The students had trusted the examination authority to assign exam centres based on their preferred cities, but instead, they were allocated centres outside the UT of J&K,” he said. 

Khuehami argued that all students deserve equal opportunities to compete in the entrance test and access to education irrespective of their financial circumstances.

The decision to allot centres outside the region was also slammed by the political parties in the region who said that the move imposed “significant difficulties” on the students.

The National Conference party called for intervention from the LG administration for setting up of exam centres within Jammu and Kashmir and preventing “unnecessary hardships” against students.

“The examination centres in Kashmir can be easily increased, as we have the capacity. This is absolute apathy towards aspirants who have been allotted examination centres in Haryana and Punjab. The travel and boarding costs are beyond the reach of the majority,” party spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said.

Senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader M Y Tarigami also urged the authorities to intervene in the issue that has caused distress to hundreds of students across the union territory.

"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," he tweeted.