In a bizarre move, the school education department has decided to conduct exams under the shadow of gun as most schools designated as exam centers for class Xth and XIIth students continue to remain occupied by paramilitary forces for the past more than two months.
Government has accommodated two companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in MP model Higher Secondary School (HSS) with each company having around 135 personnel who have occupied all the class rooms barring principal office and laboratory rooms.
“But the department informed us that only one company of CRPF will be shifted from the school to make arrangement for exams, while as one company will stay here during exams as well,” said Rifat Bashir, Principal MP Model HSS Srinagar.
Authorities justified the partial relocation of forces from the school saying they need a few rooms to hold exams.
“Only one company will be shifted from MP school. Presence of one CRPF company won’t make any difference. We need a few rooms to set up exam centres and we can manage that,” said Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK), Ajaz Ahmad Bhat.
Kothi Bagh Model Higher Secondary School (HSS) MP Model HSS and Nishat HSS have been notified as exam centres. These continue to remain occupied by paramilitary forces for the past more than two months. “Exams will commence after four days but government is yet to set these schools free from forces. It will take at least a week for school authorities to set the things in an organized manner,” a senior official in the department said.
Pertinent to mention that government schools were handed over to forces on August 23 days after JK’s education minister had requested the parents of students to send their wards to their schools.
Meanwhile, Principal, Kothi Bagh Model HSS Qazi Romana said the paramilitary forces continue to remain stationed in the school despite government assurances to set the institution free before the commencement of exams.
Interestingly, the School Education department—in the past one year—has invested crores of rupees on refurbishing several of these ‘occupied’ schools by introducing smart classes there.
The DSEK said the matter has been taken up with police authorities to expedite the process for relocation of forces from the schools, notified as exam centres.
“I have talked to DIG and requested him to relocate the force personnel from schools as we have to arrange things in an organized manner to hold exams there,” the DSEK said.
He said department will ensure full evacuation of troops from Kothi Bagh and Nishat HSS. “These two schools will be set free completely while as one company of CRPF will stay in MP school in exams,” Bhat said.
Meanwhile Principal Girls HSS Nishat, Rubeena Fazli contested the claims of BOSE about relocation of forces or shifting the exam centre. “BOSE has not shifted the exam centre from here. And paramilitary troops also continue to remain here as well,” she said.
