Anantnag: Thousands of students Monday appeared in the annual board examinations in unrest-hit Kashmir, where life is reeling under a continued shutdown announced by separatists ever since a popular Hizb militant was killed in police action on July 8.
According to reports 95% attendance was recorded in the incident free examination of class 12 on the day-one across Kashmir.
There was a significant increase in movement of people and transport across the Valley as the annual board examinations began today, officials said here.
About 484 centres have been set up for about 48,000 candidates for class 12 examination across Kashmir division. Out of total 31964 students who were scheduled to appear in the examinations today, 30213 students sit in examinations at around 484 exam centres in the Valley.
The highest number of students appearing in the exam was witnessed in South Kashmir Anantnag district.
“At least 96 per cent of class 12 students appeared in the examination in South Kashmir’s Anantnag on Monday which was followed by central Kashmir’s Srinagar district where more than 94 per cent students appeared in the examinations,” official sources said.
The government had decided to hold the exams as scheduled despite demands by parents that they be put off as the unrest had disrupted educational activities in the Valley.
Massive security arrangements are in place for the smooth conduct of the examinations. However, there were no restrictions on the movement of people anywhere in the Valley, the officials said.
Along with the heavy rush of vehicles, shops were also open in areas like civil lines and outskirts of the city as well as in few of the rural areas in other districts of Kashmir.
Inter-district cabs were also plying on different routes, the officials said.
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Many vendors had put up their stalls along TRC Chowk-Batamaloo axis through Lal Chowk city centre, while banks were also open across the Valley and witnessed rush of customers.
The government had decided to conduct the exams as per the scheduled despite growing demands by parents and students that the examinations be postponed given the unrest that disrupted educational activities in Kashmir.
Meanwhile, the students who appeared in the examination appreciated the Board of School Education (BOSE) for announcing reduction in the syllabus today as according to them the government decision provided them a lot of assistance in the examinations.
“The question paper was fine. It was within the syllabus we had covered. Overall, the paper was easy. But we are against the decision of the government, because we aren’t mentally ready,” said Mehak, a student.
However, some parents were aggrieved at the government over being adamant for conducting the examinations in November making it a political ego and letting the students to suffer.
Another student Muskan of Kothibagh said that questions paper was to the point. “Even the language was easy to understand. But we are still not mentally prepared for examination,” She said. The examination started at 11am and concluded at 2pm.
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