-Deepak Zazia from Srinagar-
When Human Resources Development (HRD) Minister, Prakash Javadekar and Minister of State (MoS) in Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Dr Jitendra Singh sought to draw attention of the world towards over 94 per cent
participation of students of Kashmir in 10th class and 12th class board
examination. They have valid reasons because braving threats of anti-national forces students of Kashmir appeared in the examinations.
By appearing in the examination in such a huge number, Kashmiri students have given a very clear and loud
message to the world that days of
separatists and other anti-national are over in the Valley.
Thousands of students along with their parents have thronged examination centres across Kashmir Valley on November 14 as well as November 15 when examinations for 10th and 12th class were started. 484 examination centres were set up for the students of 10th class across the Valley.
“Students from Jammu & Kashmir have given a befitting reply to terrorists as 95 per cent of them appeared for their 12th board examination in the state, which in itself is a powerful
“surgical strike”, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said on November 15.
“In Kashmir Valley, for the past
several months, schools were shut, over 30 had been burnt. But students from Jammu & Kashmir, Leh and Ladakh have given a befitting reply to terrorists with a presence of 95 per cent in the board exam held yesterday,” he said.
Emphasising that this was “India’s reply”, Javadekar remarked that the country believed in education and progress and the message was that no design to break the country would
succeed.
“I’m proud of those children and their parents who are the strength of India. Education is the way to progress. They have understood and given this befitting reply. We have seen the
surgical strike of the army, but this reply given by students is also a powerful
surgical strike,” he said.
Encouraged over participation of
students in examinations, Dr Jitendra Singh sounded confident that there would be a sea change as the thousands of students of Valley had participated in their annual examinations. He said, “The forces behind the Kashmir unrest that played with the career of the poor children have been fully exposed before the world now.”
“Those who gave the continuous bandh calls in Valley and forced the
closure of educational institutions after sending their own children to best schools in other parts of the country and abroad, have now been fully exposed,” Dr Singh informed reporters (at the sidelines of a meeting) held at Ramban on November 14.
He said, “There is a lot of resentment among Valley youth against the double standards of the separatist leadership, who on the one hand are forcing the
closure of schools in which the poor
students seek education and on the other hand send their wards to best schools in other parts of the country or abroad.”
“We cannot wait for the last gun to fall silent, we have no time to waste at least for the children’s career and future,” he said, adding that it was a message to all those who tend to take the youth of the country for granted.
He said, “Youth of Kashmir are now demanding that schools should open, examinations should be conducted in time and their education should not hamper any more. This is a good sign as it will be a turning point in the situation in Valley.”
“Whatever be the cause, even if it is the holiest of the holy, for which the protest is being carried out, nobody has the right or prerogative to interfere or interrupt the career of children”, he added.
Dr Singh said that the Government was concerned about the academic career of the children and that with the co-operation of the students and their parents, the examinations would be
conducted smoothly.
Both the leaders have reasons to
be optimistic. According to official
handout issued by the State Government almost 99 per cent students appeared in the Matriculation examination.
According to Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) authorities, out of 56,623 students 56,219 students appeared in the
examination.
Giving details, the BOSE authorities said that in Anantnag 98.64 per cent
students appeared in the examination. Similarly in Budgam 99 per cent, in Bandipora 98.27 per cent , in Baramulla 98.57 per cent, in Ganderbal 99 per cent, in Kulgam 98.40 per cent, in Kupwara 99 per cent, in Pulwama 99 per cent, in Shopian 98 per cent and in Srinagar 99.88 per cent appeared in the examination.
Nearly 94 per cent students appeared in annual regular Board examinations for 12th class in Kashmir Division amid tight security and stray incidents of stone-pelting and protests forcing
officials to relocate 12 examination
centres.
According to Aijaz Ahmed Bhat, Director of School Education Kashmir (DSEK), Kashmir examinations were conducted in peaceful atmosphere and there was no major incident of violence. He said tight security all across the Kashmir division was in place and
security forces guarded all the
examination centres amid prohibitory orders imposed already in and around these centres.
31,964 students were to appear in 12th class examinations and out of them 30213 remained present. The attendance percentage of candidates in the exams was 94.17 per cent. Among all 10
districts of Valley, the highest number of candidates appeared in Anantnag
district of South Kashmir where the attendance percentage was 96.1.
The official figures revealed that 95.83 students appeared in Secondary Examinations in Srinagar district, 93.92 per cent in Ganderbal, 94.97 in Budgam, 92.98 Kulgam, 94.65 Pulwama, 93.66 Shopian, 92.80 Bandipora, 93.70 Baramulla and 93.10 in Kupwara. As per the senior Government official, there was an increase of 2.56 per cent in attendance of candidates this year as compared to last year. Overall, 1,751 remained absent.
In the wake of the unrest and
continued closure of schools, the Jammu and Kashmir State Board of School Education (BOSE) has announced 50 per cent open choice for the students appearing in Board exams in November month. Although it has also announced that it will hold exams in March 2017 for the students who don’t want to appear in November, but the 50 per cent choice will not be
available for them.
Most of the students who appeared in exams said that they were satisfied with the paper pattern and had faced no difficulties. In the wake of present unrest, the students were accompanied by their parents to the exam centres and they waited for them till they came out after writing their papers.
Following the persistent demand by the students and their parents, the District Development Commissioner Pulwama has ordered shifting of five examination centres in the district for smooth conduct of 12th class and 10th class examinations.
According to Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, exam centre number
6,143 for 12th class examination and centre number 6,144 for 10th class
examination located at Higher Secondary School, Noorpora (Tral) have been shifted to Islamic
University of Science and Technology Awantipora.
He said the centre number 6,143 for 10th class examination located at Girls High School Noorpora (Tral) has been shifted to Mantaqi High School Awantipora. The DDC said that the
centre numbers 6,102 and 6,123 for
10th class examination located at Government High School Tahab (Pulwama) have been shifted to Central High School Pulwama and Degree College Pulwama respectively. n
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