Despair grows as thousands of students yet to fill NEET forms

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 7

Taniya Hamid, 18, is desperate. She dreams of qualifying the National Eligibility Entrance Examination Test (NEET) to secure admission in a medical college but there is no hope yet about the restoration of the Internet in Kashmir which is blocked for the last 123 days.

For more than 20,000 students in Kashmir who have worked for the exam for two years, a facilitation centre has been provided at the Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) in Srinagar and students have to wait for days together to get a turn to submit the application form that takes more than an hour to complete.

Many students like Taniya fear they might lose an important opportunity in their career due to the Internet blockade.

“I came here at 8 am when the temperature was in minus. This is an important time for me as the exams are near but first, I am concerned whether I will be able to submit the application of not,” Taniya said, waiting for her turn outside the centre where the Internet facility has been provided by the government for students.

Shahid Chowdhary, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, said so far, 137 students had submitted their application at the centre and the government was trying to help them.

“We are providing them the facility and we hope that all students will be able to submit their forms on time,” the official said.

President of the Private Schools’ Association, Kashmir, GN War, accused the government “of waging a war against education in Kashmir”.

“Normally, NEET form takes two hours to be filled. There is no Internet and it has made the students desperate. If there is a single mistake in the form, it will waste two years of students,” War said.

He said the students were frustrated. “They are playing with the future of thousands of students,” he added. Last year, more than 20,000 students appeared for NEET in Kashmir.

The NEET forms were issued on November 31 this year and the last date has been fixed December 31. With thousands of students waiting to fill the forms, some are hopeless.

“I am not sure if I will be able to fill the form,” said Mohammad Moiz, a student.

In other districts of Kashmir as well, the government says it has opened Internet kiosks at the offices of Deputy Commissioners but students say it is impossible for them to fill the forms due to the huge rush of people.

Long wait 

For more than 20,000 students in Kashmir who have worked for the exam for two years, a facilitation centre has been provided at the Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) in Srinagar and students have to wait for days together to get their turn to submit the application form that takes more than an hour to complete.