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. Candidates were first handed OMR sheets. Then officials abruptly announced the exam was postponed by an hour due to “rain-related exigencies.” In the confusion, some…
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Omar Abdullah Faces Criticism as NC’s Poll Promises Stall — Govt Takeover of JeI-linked Schools Fuels Anger
Omar Abdullah Under Fire as NC’s Poll Promises Stall, FAT School Takeover Fuels Kashmir Anger By: Javid Amin | 24 Aug 2025 From Hope to Reckoning When Omar Abdullah’s National Conference (NC) returned to power in 2024, after five turbulent years of central rule, it was billed as a new dawn for Jammu & Kashmir’s politics. Riding high on the promise of restoring dignity, rights, and autonomy, the NC campaigned on an ambitious manifesto—the “12 Guarantees.” But as Omar completes one year in office, disillusionment has begun to creep in.…
Read MoreHydropower Drive Gains Pace in Jammu & Kashmir: Clean Energy, Complex Trade-Offs & the Question of Control
Power Surge or Power Surrender? Unpacking whether J&K’s hydropower boom empowers the region — or centralizes control By: Javid Amin | 23 Aug 2025 J&K’s New Energy Moment Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) has long carried the stigma of being energy-starved despite being water-rich. The region, endowed with some of India’s most powerful rivers — the Chenab, Jhelum, and Indus tributaries — has the natural potential to become a clean energy hub. Yet, for decades, its citizens have suffered chronic electricity shortages, winter blackouts, and costly dependence on external power supplies.…
Read MoreWoman Buried, Man Missing as Cloudburst Hits Chamoli, Uttarakhand: The Growing Climate Crisis in the Himalayas
Woman buried under debris, man missing as cloudburst hits Uttarakhand’s Chamoli By: Javid Amin | 22 Aug 2025 Nature’s Fury Returns to Uttarakhand Once again, Uttarakhand—the land of rivers, mountains, and sacred pilgrimages—has been shaken by the unpredictable wrath of nature. A cloudburst in Tharali tehsil of Chamoli district left behind a trail of devastation, reminding us how fragile life in the Himalayan region can be. According to officials, a 20-year-old woman named Kavita was buried under debris, while a man named Joshi is reported missing. The calamity struck late…
Read More20 Structures Razed, 110 Kanals of Land Retrieved in Jammu: JDA Intensifies Anti-Encroachment Drive
20 structures razed to retrieve 110 kanal of land in Jammu By: Javid Amin | 22 Aug 2025 A Bold Push Against Encroachment in Jammu Land in Jammu is not just real estate—it is a scarce resource, a livelihood, and often, a symbol of identity and belonging. However, the rapid pace of urbanization has led to rampant land-grabbing and illegal constructions, creating challenges for governance, planning, and justice. In a major anti-encroachment drive, the Jammu Development Authority (JDA), with support from the district administration, dismantled 20 illegal structures and reclaimed…
Read MoreJ&K Government Takes Over 215 Jamaat-e-Islami-Linked Schools: What It Means for Education, Politics, and Society
J&K Government Takes Over 215 Jamaat-e-Islami-Linked Schools By: Javid Amin | 22 Aug 2025 Education in the Crossfire of Politics and Policy Education is often seen as a neutral, noble pursuit, free from politics. Yet in conflict regions like Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), schools are not just places of learning—they are arenas of ideology, influence, and power. The recent decision of the J&K government to take over 215 schools affiliated with the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) is a historic move that has triggered debates on governance, legality, student welfare, and politics.…
Read MoreRajbagh Riverfront: Reels, Roots, and the Risk of a Distracted Generation
Rajbagh Riverfront Culture Drift – Social Media, Teen Distraction, and the Erosion of Values By: Javid Amin | 22 Aug 2025 Rajbagh Riverfront – From Serenity to Spectacle On a clear afternoon in Srinagar, the Rajbagh riverfront paints a picture both familiar and startling. The calm Jhelum River flows steadily, its banks lined with graceful chinars, whispers of heritage echoing in the breeze. Elderly men sit on benches, absorbed in conversation; a few families stroll quietly; vendors sell snacks and tea. And yet, dominating the scene are groups of teenagers—particularly…
Read MoreVaishno Devi Pilgrimage Tragedy: 1 Dead, 40 Injured in Samba Bus Accident
Samba Bus Accident 2025: Vaishno Devi Pilgrims Injured After Bus Falls into Gorge on Jammu-Pathankot Highway By: Javid Amin | 21 Aug 2025 A pilgrimage turned tragic on August 21st, 2025, when a bus carrying Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims met with a devastating accident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba district. The vehicle, en route to Katra—the base camp for the revered shrine—skidded off the Jammu-Pathankot highway near Jatwal and plunged into a gorge. Casualties and Injuries One pilgrim, identified as Kripal alias Iqbal (31), a resident of Amroha, Uttar Pradesh,…
Read MoreHow Merit in Kashmir is Dying a Silent Death: Reservation Policy, Quotas & The Future of Youth
Merit in Kashmir Under Threat: Is Reservation Policy Killing Hard Work? By: Javid Amin | 21 Aug 2025 The Silent Collapse of Merit in Kashmir In Kashmir today, the death of merit isn’t announced with headlines or slogans. It doesn’t come with the sound of breaking glass or mass protests. Instead, it’s quiet, systemic, and deeply corrosive. Every young student in the valley grows up with one belief drilled into them: study hard, score high, and success will follow. For decades, this has been the lifeline of Kashmiri families. Parents…
Read MoreFlash Floods in Pir Panjal: Rajouri Youth, Poonch Girl Swept Away; Roads Blocked, Schools Shut
Flash Floods in Pir Panjal: Rajouri Man, Poonch Girl Swept Away; Schools Shut, Roads Blocked By: Javid Amin | 19 Aug 2025 The Pir Panjal region of Jammu & Kashmir is facing the brunt of relentless rainfall, with flash floods and landslides wreaking havoc across Rajouri, Poonch, and Reasi districts. The downpour has already claimed lives, damaged infrastructure, and brought traffic to a grinding halt. Tragedy Strikes Rajouri and Poonch In Rajouri’s Mubarakpur area, tragedy unfolded when 20-year-old Sayeed Atif Shah was swept away while trying to cross a swollen…
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