Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has urged the Centre to return control of examinations such as NEET and JEE to the states, arguing that education and health fall within the state sphere under India’s federal structure. Addressing an Independence Day function at Srinagar’s Bakshi Stadium, Abdullah linked the issue to broader concerns over the Centre’s role in matters traditionally handled by state governments.

Abdullah argued that the central government should retain control of examinations only for national-level institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology and Indian Institutes of Management. He maintained that several examinations previously conducted by individual states have increasingly come under central control through national-level entrance systems. According to him, this shift has contributed to tensions among students and raised questions about the balance of powers between the Centre and the states.

“The recent student protests were essentially due to overreach of the central government in matters falling under the state list,” Abdullah said, referring to the recent agitation led by the satirical political group Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). He argued that restoring responsibilities to states would strengthen the federal structure and urged the Centre to act in what he described as the “true spirit of federalism.” He also linked the issue to the broader demand for greater protection of democratic institutions.

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Abdullah further argued that federalism and democracy are fundamental pillars of the Constitution and that matters falling within the state list should be restored to all states. He stressed that the issue extends beyond Jammu and Kashmir’s demands concerning statehood and special status, and urged greater attention to the constitutional distribution of powers. He maintained that restoring responsibilities to states would help strengthen the country’s federal framework.

The remarks came amid a prolonged student agitation in Delhi over alleged examination irregularities and paper leaks. The protests began at Jantar Mantar on June 6 and later drew wider attention after Ladakh-based activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the agitation and began an indefinite hunger strike on June 28. The strike ended after 26 days, according to the information provided.

The CJP was founded by Abhijeet Dipke, a Boston University graduate who returned to India and became involved in the student protest movement. Abdullah’s comments came as part of his Independence Day address after he hoisted the national flag and took the salute at the parade at Bakshi Stadium. His remarks placed the examination controversy within a larger debate over federalism, the division of constitutional responsibilities and the role of state governments in education.

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