Srinagar, Feb 05: For the third consecutive year, nearly one thousand doctors from Kashmir will have to travel to Jammu next month to appear for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Super Speciality Courses (NEET-SS), as there is no designated exam center in Srinagar.
Scheduled for March 29 and 30, the doctors have expressed frustration, saying that despite the large number of candidates appearing for the exam, there is still no exam center in Srinagar.
This marks the third year in a row that the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has failed to set up an exam center for the NEET-SS in Kashmir. The last time an exam center was available in the region was in the winter of 2021.
United Doctors Front (UDF) Chapter Jammu and Kashmir has condemned the non-availability of NEET-SS center in Srinagar calling it “blatant negligence and unfair treatment meted out to aspirants from Jammu and Kashmir.”
“This discriminatory approach is unacceptable and places an undue burden on meritorious candidates from the region,” said Dr Mir Waseem, National Joint Secretary of UDF.
It said despite repeated attempts by medical professionals, the authorities have once again failed to ensure that Srinagar is included as a designated examination center for NEET-SS.
The UDF Chapter J&K demands intervention from the National Board of Examinations (NBE) and the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare to rectify this gross injustice.
“Candidates from J&K have every right to access examination centers within their home state, just like aspirants from other regions of the country,” he said.
He said that the continued exclusion is nothing short of systemic discrimination and an attempt to discourage medical students from pursuing super-specialty education.
On Dec 19, Doctors Association of Kashmir (DAK) had also demanded the establishment of a NEET-SS exam center in Srinagar to address the challenges faced by aspirants.
“This not only imposes undue financial and logistical burdens but also creates significant hurdles due to unpredictable weather and terrain,” said president DAK, Dr. Yousuf Tak.
DAK has urged the concerned authorities to prioritize this pressing issue and take steps to establish an examination center.
However, sources in the Health and Medical Education Department said the department has requested the Chief Secretary to talk to concerned authorities of the Government of India in this regard.
“It is a genuine issue we had tried last year also. We are trying hard to have one NEET-SS center in Srinagar. We are also discussing the matter with the National Testing Authority. It is not in the hands of the Jammu and Kashmir Government,” he said.
In August 2023, the NBEMS had stated that it would not be able to establish an additional examination center in Srinagar for the NEET-SS examination based on the need to maintain rigorous security standards for the examination.
