The closure of Srinagar airport, triggered by heightened security measures following Indian airstrikes on terror hideouts in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan, has left many Kashmiri students stranded. Complicating the issue, the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44), has been shut due to landslides and flash floods, reported The Times of India, on Friday, May 9.
Students unable to attend entrance exams in Delhi
Several students, who had returned home due to safety concerns after reported backlash following the Pahalgam incident, are now unable to travel to Delhi for entrance exams, according to The Times of India report.
Postgraduate aspirants preparing for admission at Jamia Millia Islamia are particularly affected. A student travelling with her mother for the Common University Entrance Test for Postgraduate (CUET-PG) courses, and other exams told The Times of India that they have been stranded on the route to Delhi for over 12 hours.
The abrupt cancellation of entrance exams at Jamia Millia Islamia has created challenges for students, as they are unable to reach Delhi due to the highway closure. With CUET-PG results expected soon, admissions at Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University are also set to begin, leaving students in a precarious situation.
The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has appealed to J&K authorities and the Jamia Millia Islamia administration, requesting a postponement of the entrance exams and an additional round for affected candidates to make sure they are not at a disadvantage.
