After Jamia decides to no longer hold entrance exams in Srinagar, students struggle

A number of Jammu and Kashmiri students who want to attend Jamia Millia Islamia are in a pickle after the university allegedly stopped using Srinagar as a location for the entrance exam.

Students claim that in order to take the entrance exam, they will now need to spend thousands of rupees on travel and lodging in Delhi. When filling out the online application forms, several students claimed that Delhi was the only option available.

They claim that in order to take the entrance exam, they will now have to spend thousands of rupees on travel and lodging in Delhi. Several students claimed that when completing the online admissions forms for the majority of undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD programmes, Delhi was the only option available.

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However, the Jamia Millia Islamia administration stated that the Srinagar Centre was not removed for all courses but had to be cancelled for some because there were fewer than 50 applicants in that particular course.

Thiruvananthapuram, Lucknow, Delhi, Patna, Kolkata, Srinagar, and Guwahati were among the seven test locations listed in the admission prospectus. Students could choose from any of the centres. The prospectus stated that if there are 49 or fewer applicants, the test for that course will be held in Delhi.

Students claim that this is unfair and places an unnecessary financial burden on them when booking airline tickets and hotel rooms. They have asked Vice Chancellor Najma Akhtar to allow them to take the entrance exam at a Srinagar centre.

“I submitted an application for admission to an LLM programme as well as three applications for my sister in undergraduate courses.” Srinagar had no other choice. I cannot travel to Delhi solely for the purpose of taking an entrance exam. “It will cost me more than 25,000 for travel and lodging,” Sameer Ahmed Sofia, 27, told PTI by phone from Srinagar.

Numerous students have similar worries to mine. We have not been informed of the reason Srinagar was replaced as the centre. I’ve asked a lot of students if Srinagar was listed on their application forms. They have all declined,” he continued.

The 25-year-old Muneeb Ayub Bhatt has applied for a PhD programme. A carpenter, his father makes about 400 per day.

“I received both my undergraduate and graduate degrees from Srinagar. I now want to go to Delhi for a better opportunity and exposure. Why are they preventing us from entering Delhi? Each day, my father makes $400. You expect me to travel to Delhi to conduct an entrance exam even though he is the only member who earns a living. How would I travel and where would I stay? Bhatt asked.

Every year, hundreds of students from the Kashmir Valley take entrance exams for various courses.

Candidates from Jammu and Kashmir are given special consideration and accommodations by Jamia Millia Islamia. Their admission is taken into consideration over and above the maximum of two seats in the programmes that faculties offer.

According to the J&K Students Association, the university has failed to establish exam centres in Srinagar despite seats being set aside for students from the Union territory, making it difficult for students to pursue their aspirations.

The association is worried that if a centre is not established locally, many students may miss the entrance exams, which are scheduled for the first week of June.

“Due to the intense heat and financial restrictions, candidates living in remote areas would not be able to take exams in Delhi. The majority of students cannot afford to purchase airline tickets or make hotel reservations. Students who have chosen more than one subject will need to stay longer, according to Nasir Khuehami, national convenor of the association. It will take them days to arrive in Delhi.

Despite repeated requests from students and parents, the Jamia Millia Islamia ( JMI ) has not yet announced exam centres in Srinagar, despite having already announced exam schedules for various courses.

“Kashmiri students, especially those from marginalised communities, should not be discouraged by exam locations’ distance from their homes. Many people find it difficult to afford the time and money required to travel to other states, Khuehami continued.

Nazim Husain Al-Jafri, the registrar of Jamia Millia Islamia, has called the students’ accusations “baseless” and noted that it costs lakhs of rupees to hold entrance exams.

We must send test materials, reserve a location, hire examiners and a supervisor, and send two university representatives. We spend thousands of rupees on entrance exams. We have a rule that the test for that programme will be held in Delhi if there are 49 or fewer applicants, Jafri said.