Shillong, May 6: The Jaintia Students’ Movement (JSM) has urged the state government to establish a CUET (UG) examination centre in Jaintia Hills.
In a memorandum to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, the students’ movement said there is a critical need for a centre for the upcoming academic year, 2026. With over 11,000 Class XII students preparing for annual examinations, the absence of a local CUET centre has raised major concerns.
JSM said the region has over 65 higher secondary schools and more than 11,000 Class XII students appearing annually, yet no CUET centre has been allotted.
It said repeated representations since 2024 seeking for a centre in Jowai has fallen on deaf ears with action being taken till date. Students currently have to journey anywhere from 180 to 300 km to reach examination centres in Shillong, Ri-Bhoi, Tura, or even Assam. This predicament often comes with substantial financial burdens, costing between Rs 4,000 to Rs 6,000 per student, an amount that is unmanageable for many rural and economically disadvantaged students, the JSM added.
JSM said that the current lack of accessible examination facilities violates Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution, which advocate for equality and the right to education. Additionally, the movement highlighted the principles established in the National Education Policy, 2020 that promotes equitable access to higher education and aims to reduce regional inequities.
With the FYUP admissions set to commence in June 2026, JSM has urged the state government to prioritise this issue and either establish a CUET centre in Jowai or grant a one-time exemption for this academic year.
The JSM has called upon the chief minister to intervene and direct the National Testing Agency (NTA) and NEHU to ensure that students from East and West Jaintia Hills do not bear the brunt of this logistical dilemma.
JSM added that the student community has “exhausted all channels of representation over the past two years” and warned that it would be “constrained to resort to democratic forms of agitation across Jaintia Hills” if no favourable order is received by May 11, 2026.
