Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, July 31: A significant number of doctors aspire to appear in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Super Specialty (NEET-SS)-2023, but they face a major hurdle as the National Board of Examination (NBE) has failed to establish an examination centre in the Kashmir valley.
Nearly 450 doctors, currently working in various hospitals in Kashmir, and otherwise, are scheduled to take the Super Speciality Examination in September this year. However, the absence of a designated examination centre in the Valley leaves them with no choice but to travel to Jammu to take the exam and endure hardships.
Dr Atif Sanai, a Senior Resident at SKIMS, expressed concern about the lack of an examination centre in Kashmir, despite the majority of aspirants being from the region. He said, “There is no centre in Kashmir even though the majority of aspirants are from Kashmir, and they are working in different tertiary care hospitals; there are chances that many might miss the exam.”
The aspirant doctors also highlighted the issue of leaves, which they would have to avail themselves of to participate in the examination, potentially affecting patient care in their absence.
Another doctor stated, “We want a centre to be set up here because there is no logic in travelling to Jammu, especially when a large number of aspirants are from Kashmir. And who will give us leaves, and what about the patients? It would take us 3 days just to be able to appear in the examination.”
Despite raising their grievances with the administration through the Grievance Cell, no resolution has been reached so far. It is to be noted here that the NEET-SS is a crucial examination for aspiring medical professionals seeking admission to various super speciality courses such as DM, MCh, and DNB across the country.
A representation dispatched to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha by the Resident Doctors of SKIMS read, “The geographical disparity poses a significant challenge to the candidates from Srinagar, as they are forced to undertake a long and arduous journey to reach the examination centre in Jammu. This not only adds to their financial burden but also causes unnecessary stress and anxiety, ultimately affecting their performance in the examination.”
Dr Rubeena Bhat, Vice-President RDA, SKIMS, shared that they have been receiving numerous requests from doctors slated to appear in the National Board of Examinations (NBE) regarding this matter. She urged the authorities to intervene and set up a NEET-SS examination centre in Kashmir.
Doctors emphasized that every year, the majority of aspirants hail from Kashmir, and issues related to examination centres consistently arise. They urged the concerned authorities to address this recurring problem.
Dr Junaid, President RDA, GMC Srinagar, pointed out the challenges aspirants face due to the lack of an examination centre in Kashmir. He said, “Every year, more aspirants are from Kashmir. The road is not in good condition, and when we talk about air travel, the tickets are also costlier. Moreover, we will have to ensure that we reach well before the exam, and for that, we will have to look for accommodation.”
It is pertinent to mention here that the National Board of Examinations (NBE) established an examination centre in Srinagar for the NEET-SS examination held in the year 2021. This centre was one of the 55 such centres set up across the country for the same examination. However, in the years 2022, including 2023, no examination centres have been set up in Kashmir.
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