SRINAGAR: In wake of the persistent demand from aspirants to have a separate exam centre in Kashmir valley for Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE), the divisional administration has taken up the matter with the chief secretary of the J&K state.
Assistant commissioner Kashmir has submitted an official communiqué to the special secretary to the chief secretary of the J&K state and requested to take up the matter with the concerned quarters to address the grievance of the GATE aspirants.
“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 official communiqué. It reads that candidates have apprehension to miss the said exams in view of 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 don’t face any inconvenience in appearing in such exams,” the official communiqué reads.
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).
The GATE exam is held every year in the February and Kashmir is left without centre for aspirants, forcing them to travel top outside state adding to their expenses.
“Some aspirants miss the exams due to harsh weather conditions,” an aspirant said.
Earlier, 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. Following this, the state government set up a separate exam centre in Kashmir for these aspirants to appear in the said exam.