Over 90k people availed Internet facility at 20 kiosks

Over 90,000 people, mostly students, availed free Internet facility at 20 kiosks set up at the deputy commissioner's office here, officials said on Friday.

The officials said the students availed the facility to register for various competitive examinations and access other academic information, besides to know their results or download admit cards for different examinations at the local and national level.

"Till date, 90,000 people, mostly students, availed the services of Internet facilities in the kiosks free-of-cost, besides contractors also availed the services to submit tenders for various developmental activities," the Srinagar district administration said in a statement.

The prominent exams for which students were facilitated in making registration included the GATE, the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) NET and the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET), they said.

Internet facility has been shut down across Kashmir since August 5 when the Centre announced its decision to withdraw Jammu and Kashmir''s special status under Article 370 of the Constitution. However, the state administration has set up Internet kiosks in every district in the valley to facilitate students and people.

The officials said the Internet facility was also used by students for filling admission forms and making applications for scholarships at national and international institutions. The state administration has set up six terminals with operators at the tourist reception centre (TRC) to provide Internet facility.

The administration has also made the Internet facility available at the National Informatics Centre (NIC) at district headquarters where e-tendering facilities are being provided to contractors as well.

The facilities are open and available to users from 8 am to 9 pm at TRC Srinagar and from 10 am to 7 pm at NIC at DC Office Srinagar and other district headquarters.