Thousands of students appear for annual board exams in Kashmir

Srinagar: Thousands of students on Monday appeared in the annual board examinations in unrest-hit Kashmir.

The annual board examinations are an acid test for the PDP-BJP coalition government which announced the schedule for examinations despite opposition from various quarters, including the student community.

There was a significant increase in movement of people and transport across the Valley as the annual board examinations began today, officials said here.

About 484 centres have been set up for about 48,000 candidates for Class 12 examination across Kashmir division. 

Massive security arrangements are in place for the smooth conduct of the examinations. However, there were no restrictions on the movement of people anywhere in the Valley, the officials said.

Along with the heavy rush of vehicles, shops were also open in areas like civil lines and outskirts of the city as well as in few of the rural areas in other districts of Kashmir.

Inter-district cabs were also plying on different routes, the officials said.

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Many vendors had put up their stalls along TRC Chowk-Batamaloo axis through Lal Chowk city centre, while banks were also open across the Valley and witnessed the rush of customers.

However, many shops, fuel stations, and other business establishments in other areas of the Valley were shut due to a separatist-sponsored strike.

Schools in the Valley went on a two-week summer holiday on July 1 but could not resume functioning due to the unrest which was triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani along with his two associates in an encounter with security forces in a village in Kokernag area of south Kashmir's Anantnag district on July 8.

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The unrest has left 85 persons dead and thousands injured while hundreds of people including students were booked under Public Safety Act (PSA) for participating in the protests.

The official decried the burning of schools, saying it should not have happened.

As many as 32 schools have been targeted by unknown persons since the unrest began in Kashmir on July 8.

The government has also decided to hold separate examination for Class 10 and 12 in March next year if they fail to appear in already scheduled exams in November but the students had to attempt 100 percent of the question paper.

(With Agency inputs)