Parents remain sceptic over possibility of children appearing in exams in snow-bound Gurez

Bandipora, Mar 19: Scores of students and parents in the hardest-hit zone of Gurez Valley have voiced their concerns about the exams scheduled for KG to class 7 from March 22 amid snow and road connectivity issues.

Since the exam dates were announced, parents have been appealing to the SCERT to postpone the exams, citing the heavy snowfall and avalanche threat in the Gurez Valley.

Notably, Gurez Valley remains cut off from Bandipora, besides this, the road from Tulail to Dawar is also blocked. Locals recently informed Greater Kashmir that about 13 villages in the Tulail region were cut off with internal movement also being hindered.

The snow clearance operations on Tulail-Dawar and Bandipora-Gurez roads were taking time due to “multiple avalanches” that hit both roads this season, officials told Greater Kashmir.

According to latest details by officials, the Tulail-Dawar road was cleared of snow by BRO awaiting official orders to open it while snow clearance operations of Gurez-Bandipora were on.

Details available with Greater Kashmir suggest that at least 300 school- children are stranded in Bandipora, waiting to be airlifted to Gurez Valley.

With roads closed, the exam date has created a “panic situation” among parents and children, as several among them have not been airlifted to the snowbound Valley via helicopters from Bandipora.

Nazir Gurezi, former Deputy Speaker, told Greater Kashmir that in Gurez exams would be normally conducted in September, given the weather patterns. However, since the change in exam sessions, school children have been drastically impacted.

“Last year, the exams were held from 15 April, but this season, the department has announced dates from 22 March,” he said.

He added that children, especially in the Tulail region, can’t walk to schools that are kilometers away amid snow, closed roads and avalanche warnings from the administration. In case of any eventuality, he questioned “who would be responsible?” and requested the authorities to postpone the exams until April.

He said in the best interest of the children the exams should be postponed, which he has also requested from the higher-ups.

The Chief Education Officer of Bandipora, G M Puju agreed with the concerns raised by the parents and students.

He told Greater Kashmir that he has written to the director and is awaiting formal orders. He expressed hope that the exam will be delayed for at least ten days as requested.

He said it was a genuine demand as they have reported that around three hundred children were stranded in Bandipora, Kangan, and other areas due to seasonal migration.

He added that even after this concern, the exams at this time were nearly impossible given the heavy snow in the region.

“It is a genuine demand as the snow there is several feet deep and connectivity has also been affected,” he said.

Notably, given the demands of the parents and students who have been “waiting at helipads for the last three days in Bandipora”, the local administration directed on Tuesday that only stranded students will be airlifted.

They said, “Other passengers are requested not to visit the Bandipora helipad unnecessarily.” The control room officials informed Greater Kashmir that 47 students were airlifted on Tuesday.