Students continue ‘anti-exam’ protests

Dilution of standards is no solution: Edu Min

5 Dariya News

Srinagar 01-Oct-2016

Protests by students continued on Saturday across the Kashmir, demanding justice to those students who were maimed and blinded in forces action.In Sopore, hundreds of students took out a protest march. They assembled in the main town near the Boys Higher Secondary School and marched towards down town and Jamia Masjid to protest against the government’s decision to hold exams in November this year. “Ready to sacrifice our future for Kashmir Freedom, Say no to exams, save children first, Stop the innocent civilian killing in Kashmir,” read placards they were holding.Hundreds of students also assembled in Reban Rafiabad to protest, vowing for exam boycott. “How it is possible for us to appear in exam when hundreds of student are injured, undergoing treatment in various hospitals,” they said.They accused the state education ministry acting “as blind to the situation” and asked it to bring back the eye sight of those students first who are unable to read and write now.

Scores of students from different private and government schools assembled at Press Enclave, holding placards and banners. 

They played the photographs of those students who were maimed or blinded in forces action.“We will not sit in exams without Insha and Yasir. We will not appear in tests without our friends who have been rendered blind by the government forces,” they said.Another group of female students also held a separate protest at Press Enclave. They were holding banners, reading “Exam boycott till K-issue is resolved, wake up world against the Indian atrocities against unarmed Kashmiris.”They slammed education minister for closing his eyes on the “brutalities on civilians by men in uniform”.“How come it justified to ask students write their examination when the same government blinded over hundred people mostly students,” they said.Reports of protests by students were also received from Bhagat and Parray Pora, Safa Kadal, Rambagh and others localities.

“Stop doing politics on exam, exam boycott, Justice for Insha,” read the placards. “We are ready to sacrifice future for the sake of freedom.”At some places, police used light force to disperse the protesting students.Reports of protests by students were also received from Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipora, Sopore and other places. Meanwhile, Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar told KNS that the dilution of standards is no solution. “We might raise our standards to be able to compete and survive in this world where the only credential is merit,” he said. (KNS)