Without internet, Kashmir's NEET aspirants struggle to upload forms: Report

NEW DELHI: Thousands of Kashmiri students applying for medical courses through the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) are having to wait in long queues due to a lack of internet in the valley, reports The Indian Express.

The valley has had no internet access since the shutdown in August when the decision to bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh was announced. The State also lost its special status.

The government has set up internet centres in 10 districts in the valley for students. But they say that apart from one dedicated centre at the Tourist Reception Center, which has an “absurdly long” queue, the rest are also accessed by traders, businessmen and other users.

“The TRC has a dedicated computer centre but the queue there is absurdly long. Moreover, the winter is very harsh here. The students are having to stand in these long queues from early morning for their turn,” said Younus Rashid, additional spokesperson, Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, speaking to Careers360.

“ There are only 150 computers in all. Filling up the NEET form takes at least two hours. It will be difficult for the students to fill it up by December 31, the last date. There should atleast be 30 computers in every district for this to be possible,“ he added.

There are around 24,000 NEET applicants from Jammu and Kashmir every year, according to previous years’ NEET data

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