Srinagar, Nov 6: After the picture of candle-lit exams took social media by storm, many similar but false pictures are now going viral.
On November 4, the students at an exam center at Kupwara were made to write their papers under candle light on a dark day.
The pictures from the center went viral on social media, inviting criticism from many quarters.
Since then, many such pictures have appeared on social media, trying to show shortcomings of various institutes.
In a fresh picture, which also created a buzz on social networking sites like Facebook and WhatsApp, rows of students can be seen for exams in a mosque, writing their papers by sitting on their haunches with several invigilators around. The officials at the JK Board of School Education (BOSE), however, termed the picture “unauthentic”.
An official said, “Last time, we received hundreds of calls from the aggrieved parents, who complained the lack of facilities at the exam centre.”
“This picture, though fake, can also add to the chaos. The misinformation has the power to generate a lot of anxiety among public especially the parents of these students.”
Secretary JK BOSE, Professor Veena Pandita, said, “The students are not from the board of education. It is a clearly an unauthentic picture.”
Joint Secretary JKBOSE, Syed Abdul Rouf, said, “I don’t have any information regarding the picture. This is a social media stunt and people should stop falling prey to the fake stuff. They confirm first whether it’s authentic or not.”
In another picture, a ward inside the JLNM Hospital here is seen reeling in darkness with a few patients sitting under torch light.
A social media post on Facebook mentioning the picture reads, “After exams, now patients being treated under candle light. I got a call from the attendant from JLNM Hospital, Srinagar, he says that there is no electricity supply. Even generator is not working. Some patients have been asked to go to SMHS for treatment. It is really sorry state of affairs. So sad.”
Medical Superintendent JLNM Hospital, Dr Zakir Hussain, termed the incident as “hoax”.
“The power supply was shut down for just minutes and this picture might have been taken during that time. Such pictures are only meant to create panic and nothing else.”