Kothibagh Centre Turns Flashpoint as Youth Protest Corruption and Mismanagement
By: Javid Amin | 24 Aug 2025
The Exam That Collapsed into Chaos
On August 24, 2025, thousands of aspirants gathered with hope and anxiety to appear for the JKSSB Junior Engineer (Electrical) recruitment exam.
At the Kothibagh Girls Higher Secondary School in Srinagar, what began as routine preparations soon spiraled into chaos and controversy.
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Candidates were first handed OMR sheets.
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Then officials abruptly announced the exam was postponed by an hour due to “rain-related exigencies.”
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In the confusion, some walked out with exam papers, openly solving them in groups using Google searches and mobile phones.
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Shockingly, others were later asked to return and continue the exam—even after the breach had gone viral on social media.
By evening, JKSSB issued a brief statement announcing the cancellation of the exam, promising a reschedule and an investigation based on CCTV footage.
But for Kashmir’s youth, the damage was already done. What was supposed to be a fair competition had turned into a spectacle of mismanagement, corruption, and betrayal.
The Viral Leak: Social Media as Witness
Videos from outside Kothibagh Centre spread like wildfire on WhatsApp and X (formerly Twitter).
They showed groups of aspirants sitting on pavements, solving the exact paper questions on their phones before re-entering the exam hall.
For many, this wasn’t just evidence of a leak—it was proof that institutional negligence had turned exams into a mockery.
The hashtag #JKSSBScam trended across Kashmir, with young people venting frustration, sharing memes, and demanding resignations.
Political Fallout: A Rare Unity in Condemnation
The chaos quickly spilled into the political domain, where leaders across parties slammed the JKSSB and the ruling government.
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Iltija Mufti (PDP): Accused the NC-led government of “wrecking the future of Kashmiri youth” and demanded structural reforms in JKSSB.
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Sajad Lone (People’s Conference): Called it “brazen daylight robbery in recruitment,” adding that trust in institutions was “bleeding out.”
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Waheed Para (PDP Youth Leader): Lamented that “after book bans and school closures, this is yet another blow to J&K’s youth.”
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CPI(M) and Apni Party also joined in, calling for a judicial inquiry into repeated paper leaks.
What unites them: a recognition that youth anger is becoming explosive, with unemployment already at historic highs in Jammu & Kashmir.
The Aspirant’s Anguish
For candidates, the cancellation was not just about one exam—it was about years of cumulative betrayal.
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Sana, 24, from Budgam: “I spent two months preparing day and night. Today I was humiliated—first made to sit, then asked to leave, then return. Is this a joke?”
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Mudasir, 26, from Anantnag: “I borrowed money for travel and coaching. How many more exams will be cancelled before we are given a fair chance?”
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Arshad, 28, from Kupwara: “This is my last attempt before the age bar. If the government fails again, who will answer for my wasted years?”
These voices echo across Kashmir: merit feels meaningless, recruitment feels rigged, and dreams feel disposable.
A Pattern, Not an Accident
This is not the first JKSSB exam collapse—it is part of a disturbing pattern:
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2022: Finance Accounts Assistant (FAA) exam scrapped amid leak allegations.
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2023: Junior Engineer (Civil) recruitment delayed due to irregularities.
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2024: Class IV exam marred by mismanagement, with papers allegedly leaked.
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2025: Now, the JE (Electrical) exam joins the list.
Each time, the script is the same:
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Exam held.
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Leak allegations surface.
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Government announces cancellation.
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Youth pay the price.
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Silence follows—until the next scandal.
Accountability Question: Who Benefits from the Chaos?
Analysts suggest paper leaks are rarely isolated. They point to a nexus of officials, printing contractors, and coaching mafias who profit from the desperation of aspirants.
Meanwhile, the JKSSB’s credibility is in freefall. Its explanations—whether “rain exigencies” or “CCTV checks”—sound increasingly hollow.
Legal experts argue that without fast-track prosecution of culprits, these scams will continue unchecked. But in Kashmir’s fragile governance landscape, accountability has become the missing piece.
Street Protests: Kothibagh as Ground Zero
By late afternoon, as news of cancellation spread, angry aspirants gathered outside the Kothibagh centre, shouting slogans against JKSSB and the government.
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Placards read: “Merit Murdered, Dreams Cancelled”
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Youth chanted: “We want justice, end paper leaks!”
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Police presence grew tense, though protests remained largely peaceful.
Civil society groups are now warning that youth unrest may spiral, especially when paired with already high unemployment, drug abuse, and feelings of alienation.
The Larger Picture: A Crisis of Trust
This scandal is more than just an exam issue—it is part of a deepening crisis of trust in Kashmir’s governance.
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Youth: See recruitment as a lottery, not a ladder.
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Families: Feel robbed of dignity after investing savings in coaching, travel, and fees.
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Institutions: Appear incompetent or complicit, eroding credibility.
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Politics: Offers outrage but no concrete reform roadmap.
At stake is not just employment—it is the faith of an entire generation in the idea of meritocracy.
What Next? A Call for Reform
For this cycle to end, Kashmir needs more than promises. Experts and activists outline urgent reforms:
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Digital Safeguards
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Encrypted e-question banks
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AI-monitored printing and distribution
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Transparent Recruitment
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Third-party audits after every exam
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Publishing results, cancellations, and probes in the public domain
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Accountability Mechanisms
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Fast-track courts for paper leak trials
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Jail terms for officials and contractors found guilty
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Youth Engagement
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Open forums between government and aspirants
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Mental health support for students facing repeated trauma
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Bottom-Line: Kashmir’s Youth Deserve Better
The JKSSB JE Electrical exam fiasco is not just another cancellation—it is a symbol of systemic collapse.
At Kothibagh, amid rain and chaos, Kashmiri youth once again realized that their future is hostage to corruption, incompetence, and silence.
Unless institutions act with urgency, the valley risks nurturing not hope but disillusionment, anger, and unrest.
The demand is simple, universal, and just:
👉 Merit must be protected. Exams must be fair. Youth must be respected.
Anything less is betrayal.
