12th class students appear in annual board exams. (Photo: Abid Bhat / KO )
SRINAGAR – The annual Class 12th examination commenced on Wednesday under unprecedented security situation in Kashmir valley, where people are protesting against scrapping of Article 370 and Article 35 A on August 5.
However, students alleged that they faced hardship due to non-availability of public transport in the valley.
Official sources said that over 48,000 students are appearing in Class 12th examination in Kashmir division. “Some examination centres were changed due to security reasons and alternate arrangements were made for smooth conduct of the annual examination,” they said, adding that two examination centre for Class 12th in south Kashmir district of Pulwama were shifted on Tuesday.
They said the examination centres for class 12th established at Higher Secondary School Drubgam has been shifted to Syed Abu Basri Memorial School Rajpora. “The examination centres established at Noorpora Higher Secondary School has been shifted to Hajahad Public School Awantipora,” they added.
They said that all arrangements were put in place for the smooth conduct of the examination, which started at 1230 hrs and commenced at 1530 hrs.
However, students alleged that they faced a lot of hardship while commuting from their respective residences to their examination centres due to non-availability of public transport.
The students also expressed disappointment over the government’s decision not to give relaxation in the syllabus in view of non-functioning of educational institutes, including government and private schools, since August 5, when the special status of the state was scrapped.
Meanwhile, large number of parents could be seen waiting outside the examination centres, where restrictions under 144 CrPc were imposed by authorities to maintain law and order. “I could not muster the courage to send my daughter alone to the examination centre as there is no public transport available in the valley since August 5. So I came along with her to examination centre… I’m waiting for her to finish her examinations so that I can take her home,” Nazir Ahmad, said a parent.
The government ordered closure of all educational institutions on August 5, when centre scrapped Article 370 and 35 A, besides divided the state into two Union Territories. However, educational institutions reopened in winter capital, Jammu and Ladakh after about two weeks in a phased manner but remained closed in the valley.
After remaining closed for more than a month, government ordered reopening of primary and middle schools first followed by High and Higher Secondary Schools (HSS) and on October 9 colleges in the valley, where life remained crippled due to spontaneous strike from August 5.
However, students continued to stay away and did not attended their classes in private and government institutions as parents were not ready to send their children to schools due to uneasy situation in the valley, including Srinagar.
But, despite schools remaining deserted, the Board of School Education (BOSE) issued date sheet for class 10th and 12 examinations from Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
Meanwhile, many private schools have rented rooms in different localities to conduct examination for students while others have said that they will promote students on the basis of home assignments submitted by children.
Advisor to Governor Farooq Ahmad Khan has on many occasions said that that government had reopened schools and colleges and it was for the students to attend their classes.
He had also ruled out any mass promotion and relaxation in syllabus and said such a measure will not be helpful for students who have to complete in different professional examinations. ( With Agency Inputs )
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