Demand for NEET-SS exam centre in Kashmir grows shriller

Srinagar: The demand for the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test for Super Specialty (NEET-SS) has grown shriller as the National Medicos Organisation J&K has written to the governing body of the National Board of Examination (NBE) for 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.
“NBE is conducting an entrance examination for admission in DM/MCH courses, which is scheduled to be held on the 9th and 10th of September this year. Candidates of the Jammu and Kashmir region are distressed due to the absence of an examination centre in Srinagar. The aspirants are in a quandary, stated by incharge of the resident doctors association of Skims Institute Srinagar Dr Rubeena and other aspirants. Many candidates were unable to appear in the examination last year owning to no NBE centre in Srinagar,” the medicos’ organisation has written to NBE.
It said that both travelling via aerial routes or roads connecting the valley to other states may cause hardship due to unpredictable weather or landslides on national highways in J&K. “This obstacle may avert aspirants during their journey. You are being appealed to assign an examination centre in Srinagar for DM/MCH candidates,” the letter mentions.
Several candidates who have to appear in the examination said 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 already written to LG Manoj Sinha to intervene at the earliest so that they won’t have to suffer.
Various associations including RDA SKIMS and others have also shot letters to the LG seeking his intervention.