Umar Khurshid
Srinagar: With a number of competitive examinations coming up in next few days, students from south Kashmir’s Shopian, Kulgam, and Pulwama districts struggle to work around the continuous internet bans.
On January 25, within minutes of an encounter between government forces and militants in remote Chaigund village of Shopian, internet services in the area were suspended.
“It has been three days since but internet services have not been restored so far,” said a student.
Earlier, whenever internet services where suspended in any part of Kashmir, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) broadband services would remain functional, giving a window to students and traders. But this time around BSNL broadband is the first one to pull the plug.
“On one hand government talks about digital India and on the other hand they snap internet frequently,” said Arshid Shah, 24, a student at Kashmir University.
“How can we fill our examination forms online, or apply to jobs when there is no connectivity?”
Arshid, who is preparing for SET examination, feels that the government should restore 2G services, if not 4G, because if we miss our exam our whole year will go waste.
A group of students from Shopian told Kashmir Life that the internet ban is equal to psychologically harassment.
“It is the students who suffer because of the internet ban. Why can’t government find a way-out so that students don’t suffer and their precious time is saved,” feels Arshid.
