As many as 1050 students appeared in GATE in six exam centres set up in Kashmir. Among the candidates, 364 appeared on Saturday and 686 on Sunday, the last day of the exam.
The MHRD had set up six exam centres in Kashmir for the GATE aspirants who were scheduled to appear in the exam on February 9 and 10.
The GATE centres were set up at Haktech IT service Sidco industrial estate near IT tower Rangreth, KITE polytechnic at Wawoosa Rangreth, Eshai Online Services Bishamber Nagar Munwarabad, Faster Computer Education Rawalpora, Infotech Computer Education and SSM college of engineering and Technology Diver Parihaspora.
Earlier, no centre was designated for these students in Kashmir due to which 500 aspirants missed the exam on February 2 and 3.
The GATE is an All-India examination administered and conducted jointly by the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and seven Indian Institutes of Technology on behalf of the National Coordinating Board -GATE, Department of Education in ministry of human resources development (MHRD).
The exam was held in four phases on February 2, 3 and February 9 and 10.
Director NIT, Rakesh Sehgal who was coordinating the GATE in Kashmir said the exam was conducted smoothly at all six exam centres in Kashmir.
“We had deputed our faculty who played a pivotal role to conduct the exams smoothly as the exam centres were set up in Kashmir during last hours. They made all the arrangements for the students. We also pressed our vehicles during the conduct of exams,” Sehgal said.
The GATE aspirants from across the Kashmir valley lauded the Governor administration for its efforts in making setting up of an examination centre possible in Srinagar.
The exam centre was set up in Srinagar after separate efforts by Governor Satya Pal Malik, Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam and Advisor to Governor Khurshid A Gania besides Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Ahmad Khan and Deputy Commissioners Srinagar and Budgam, Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah and Dr Syed Sehrish Asgar.
The centre in Srinagar provided a huge relief to aspirants after snowfall last week led to complete travel disruptions.
The administration has expressed profound gratitude to Professor Vaasa of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras for his instrumental role in holding the GATE exam in Srinagar. It has also appreciated the efforts therein of Professor Rajesh Sehgal of NIT Srinagar.
It has also thanked the Education Secretary, Ministry of Human Resource Development GoI, R Subrahmannyam, for his support therein.