KSPA asks govt to reconsider holding board exams on schedule

Kashmir Private Schools Association (KPSA) today appealed to the government to reconsider its decision to hold annual board examinations as per schedule in the unrest-hit Valley, saying students were not ready for exams and extreme stress could give rise to suicidal tendencies among them.
"Students did not learn anything, so they will perform poorly. That will also result in students being unable to qualify competitive exams like NEET, JEE, CET," KPSA president G N Var said in a statement here.
Var said students would suffer in exams which would mar their careers and added that this year there were very less number of working days and the syllabus was far from complete.

Var also condemned the burning of schools over the last few weeks, saying no sane person, particularly a Muslim, can burn schools as it is against the teachings of Islam.
Over 25 educational institutions have been burnt by miscreants in the Kashmir Valley since July 9, a day after Burhan was killed in an encounter in South Kashmir.
"In the present situation, where we have seen dozens of school children getting killed, students are in no way ready for exams. The extreme stress will give birth to suicidal tendencies among them and in the longer run it will create behavioural problems among children," he said.

He said everybody, including the government, should forego their hard stance, particularly on holding the exams in November.

"Examinations are not important, they are just a formality. Studies and classrooms are important as it is here the student learns something. Exams are there to check what a student has learnt in classes. When a student didn't learn anything what's the point of having exams?" he asked.
The association appealed to people from all schools of thought to work for a middle path that will benefit students in the best possible way.
"Nobody, including the Hurriyat leaders, are against education but unfortunately confrontation is still taking place on the issue," he said.

Var advocated for conducting the exams in February next year as it would give enough time for students to prepare.
"In 2014 floods too, we lost seven months and still managed to save the session. So time is not the problem as we can cope with it. Government needs to think about the larger benefit of students," he said.
As many as 85 people, including two cops, have been killed and several thousand others injured in the ongoing unrest in the Valley. Around 5000 security forces personnel have also been injured in the clashes.