Jammu & Kashmir: Teachers at PM's rally so schools, universities postpone exams?

ED: This article was republished with new inputs on 7 March; it was originally published on 6 March 2024, 5:29 p.m.

Schools in Jammu and Kashmir have barely opened after the three-month winter break, only for high school students to be 'surprised' with a new 'break' from schedule: examinations for state-run institutions—both schools and universities—stand cancelled for 7 March 2024.

While a University of Kashmir circular and another from the Central University (below) said new dates would be announced soon—suggesting they were yet undecided and this was not a planned-ahead schedule—the state education department did seem to have better preparation.

It's not quite clear whether the reasoning is based on security concerns around Prime Minister Narendra Modi's expected visit on that date—though neither of the state circulars said as much, referring merely to the ominous-sounding 'unavoidable circumstances', as the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education moved the 7 March exams for class X vocational subjects to 4 April.

However, if it were truly the reason, surely it would be reasonable to expect CBSE schools (run by the Central Board of Secondary Education) to take due note of students' safety and postpone examinations too? But no, the CBSE exams—even those on the 7 March—are slated to proceed on schedule.

On Thursday, 7 March, Modi is scheduled to address a rally at Srinagar’s Bakshi Stadium, his first public appearance in the union territory since the scrapping of its special status in 2019. The state administration pretty much ordering 7,000 of its employees—including those working in sports and education, ie, teachers and coaches—to attend the gathering has raised eyebrows, naturally.

Update, 7 March: Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti shared a short video on X today, allegedly showing government employees being 'herded' into vehicles at 5 am in 'sub zero temperatures', 'forcibly mobilised to paint a pretty picture that all is well post 2019'.