SRINAGAR: Hundreds of Kashmiri aspirants preparing for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Super Specialty (NEET-SS) are worried as the National Board of Examination (NBA) has not established any exam centers in the valley. The candidates have written to J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, seeking his intervention.
The NEET-SS exam is slated to take place on September 9–10, 2023, putting the students with the burden of travelling to Jammu or other states to sit the significant test. On September 4, admit cards are anticipated to be released and around 500 aspirants from Kashmir are scheduled to appear in the examination.
Several candidates who have to appear in the examination told that they will have to spend more than Rs 20,000 per head and at least three to four days of travel to other states to appear in the examination.
“We aren’t against setting up examination centre in Jammu but there is a need for such centres in Kashmir as well, where there are hundreds of candidates,” they said. “In case no examination centre was being established in Kashmir, we will have to bear the financial strain of flight tickets, and hotel accommodations besides uncertainty due to the frequent closures on the highway.”
The upset candidates have written to LG Manoj Sinha to intervene soon so they won’t suffer.
The candidates have mentioned in the letter that the only examination center for NEET SS 2023, which is in Jammu, proves to be “highly inconvenient and distant” for those hailing from Srinagar and other areas.
This adds to our financial burden and causes unnecessary stress and anxiety, ultimately affecting their performance in the examination, they said.
For a smooth and comfortable examination experience, the aspirants have sought additional examination centre in Srinagar. “By doing so, you would not only be alleviating the inconvenience faced by the candidates but also promoting accessibility and equal opportunities for aspirants from all regions of Jammu and Kashmir,” the letter mentions. “This would undoubtedly be a great stride towards enhancing the educational prospects of aspiring medical professionals from our region and reinforcing the government’s commitment to providing equitable opportunities for all.”
Various associations, including RDA SKIMS and others, have also shot letters to the LG seeking his intervention.
Meanwhile, a health official told KNO that they have taken up the issue with the concerned authorities and are hopeful that a center will be allotted in Srinagar—(KNO)
