Govt schools occupied by forces notified as centres for class 10 and 12 exams

The Jammu and Kashmir government has notified government schools for examination centres which continue to remain occupied by paramilitary forces for past two months.
The schools have been identified by JK Board of School Education (BOSE) in connection with conduct of examination which, as per BOSE notification are scheduled from mid-November.

Officials said the authorities in BOSE have identified almost all the government schools for exam centres which include three Higher Secondary Schools in Srinagar district which continue to remain occupied by paramilitary forces for the past two months.
Paramilitary forces continue to remain stationed in Kothi Bagh Girls HSS, MP model HSS and Girls HSS Nishat which have been notified as exam centres for class 10 and 12 students.
As per the BOSE notification, the exams for class 10 will commence from November 15 and will culminate on November 28 while as the exams for class 12 will commence from November 14 and will culminate on December 3.

“These schools are spacious and are used as exam centres from past as well. We have been informed that forces will be vacated from these schools till the time exams will approach,” a senior official in BOSE said.
He said the schools have been identified by BOSE as per their own requirements and an official intimation is given to Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) as well.
“Identification of schools and setting up of exam centres in them is completely our (BOSE) job. DSEK has no role in it but we inform them once we complete the process of identification of government schools as exam centres,” the official said.
JKBOSE has notified MP Model HSS Bagh-e-Dilawar Khan, Khanyar as centre number 8158 for the students of class 10. The institution is also to be used as exam centre for class 12 students as well. The institutions continue to remain occupied by forces for the past two months.
Principal MP Model HSS, Rifat Bashir said the government has accommodated two companies of CRPF who have occupied school building barring Principal office and Laboratories.
“Around 19 rooms including auditorium are occupied by forces. If government wants to set up exam centre here then they should relocate troops from here,” she said.
Similarly, Government Girls HSS Nishat has been notified as centre number 8120 for the Secondary and Higher Secondary examination.
Principal Girls HSS Nishat, Rubeena Fazli said around 100 CRPF personnel have been accommodated in the school who have occupied all the rooms except Principal office and cleric room.
“We have 8 rooms in schools and all have been occupied by CRPF. It is not possible to set up exam centre in our school,” Fazli said.
The officials said BOSE has already issued centre notification to the school education and some school heads have been informed as well.
“We have informed the concerned schools heads that there institutions are to be utilized as exam centres and asked them to make necessary arrangements as well,” officials said.
A senior official in DSEK confirmed the receipt of centre notice issued by JKBOSE.
Meanwhile Principal Kothi Bagh HSS, Qazi Romana confirmed that the school has been notified as exam centre for class 12th students.
“BOSE has set up six centres in our school for class 12 examination,” she said. “But we didn’t receive the official notification.”
Government has accommodated two companies of CRPF in Kothi Bagh School who have occupied 16 classrooms of the institution.
“Few rooms having fixed furniture have been spared.”
She said that earlier the institution was occupied by BSF troops which were later replaced by CRPF.
Interestingly, JK government has sought deferment of by-polls in Anantnag district saying the atmosphere was “not conducive for elections.”
The students have hit the roads against the government decision to hold exams in November.
Chairman BOSE Zahoor Ahmad Chatt said they have notified almost all the government schools for setting up of exam centers.
“We have been told that troops will be relocated from these schools which are to be utilized for exams,” Chatt said.