Srinagar: Candidates appearing for the Accounts Assistant (Finance department) written exam conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) on Sunday found themselves grappling not just with the questions on paper but also with bone-chilling cold inside the examination halls.
Scheduled for January 28, 2024, the exam saw candidates from far-flung areas, some having traveled 40-50 kilometers, to reach their designated centers in the hope of securing a future through the advertised 972 posts. However, what awaited them inside examination centers was a challenge that surpassed the academic hurdles they had prepared for – a lack of heating arrangements in the exam halls.
Asifa Bano, a candidate who took the exam at Girls Higher Secondary Sopore, shared her ordeal. “I was unable to fill OMR sheets as my hands got stone-cold. Though I rubbed them to pen down more questions, I failed to do so. The biting cold killed my time, and I couldn’t attempt all the questions!”
Another candidate Mohsin Ahmad Sheikh from Teran Tangmarg, expressed dismay over the absence of heating facilities, with the cold weather making it nearly impossible to concentrate on the exam. The long rows of desk-benches witnessed aspirants shivering, their pens freezing, and hands wrung in an attempt to generate warmth.
Stakeholders have criticized the authorities for the arrangements with candidates questioning the choice of exam centers and the lack of basic amenities. Candidates allege that despite paying hefty fees to the JKSSB, their pleas for suitable facilities have gone unnoticed, leaving them to suffer in silence.
Rohie Jan, who emerged from the examination halls of SSM College visibly affected by the cold, raised concerns about the apparent lack of consideration for their well-being. She argued that the situation reflects a broader disregard for women’s education in Kashmir.
In a surprising turn, college administrations confirmed that despite their efforts to secure heating arrangements from JKSSB authorities, their requests remain unfulfilled, leaving aspirants at the mercy of the cold.
In the backdrop of distant exam centers and freezing conditions, aspirants faced an uphill battle, resulting in an appearance percentage plummeting below fifty percent. The combination of logistical challenges and the absence of heating arrangements cast a formidable shadow over the JKSSB Accounts Assistant exam.
