Govt facilitates exam centre for GATE aspirants in Kashmir
Srinagar: In a major relief for the engineering candidates of Kashmir aspiring to appear in the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) in February, the state administration is mulling to set up a separate exam centre in the Valley.
It will for the first time that an exam centre will be set for GATE exams in the valley which was not in vogue in the past.
Pertinently, the GATE aspirants had earlier demanded that a separate exam centre should be set up for them in Kashmir. The demand was made in wake of the prevailing inclement weather in Kashmir which results in closure of Jammu-Srinagar highway.
GATE is an All-India examination administered and conducted jointly by the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and seven Indian Institutes of Technology on behalf of the National Coordinating Board -GATE, Department of Education in ministry of human resources development (MHRD).
More than 100 aspirants from Kashmir have applied for the GATE exam which is likely to be held in the first week of the February. But no exam centre has been designated in Kashmir.
The exam is held every year and Kashmiri students aspiring for the exam either miss it due to inclement weather or have to reach to the exam venue a week before the scheduled date which adds to their expenses.
Earlier, government had to set up a separate exam centre for NEET aspirants who could not travel to Jammu and Delhi to appear in exams due to bad weather conditions in the Valley.
The decision was taken as scores of NEET aspirants from Kashmir couldn’t move to Jammu and Delhi to appear in their exams due to inclement weather and closure of Jammu Srinagar highway.
Keeping in view the inconveniences faced by the GATE aspirants, the Assistant Commissioner Kashmir has submitted an official communiqué to special secretary of Chief Secretary J&K and requested to address the grievance of the aspirants. The matter has been taken up with the Chief Secretary as the candidates had submitted their representation in the office of the divisional commissioner.
“This office has received a representation from aspirant of GATE exam which reveals that like NEET, GATE does not have any notified exam centre in Kashmir. Resultantly, the candidates have to travel to Jammu or New Delhi for appearing in such exams,” reads the letter submitted in the office of chief secretary.
The letter reads that candidates have an apprehension of missing the chance to appear in the exams owing to the present weather conditions.
“In this connection, I am directed to request you that the issue may kindly be brought to the notice of the worthy chief secretary, so that it is taken up with the concerned quarters for notifying a GATE exam centres in Srinagar so that the candidates/ aspirants do not face any inconvenience in appearing in such exams,” the letter reads.
KV Correspondent
