JMI drops Thiruvananthapuram as entrance exam centre, Shashi Tharoor calls move 'inexplicable decision'

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has criticized Jamia Millia Islamia University (JMI) for removing Thiruvananthapuram, the only entrance test center in South India, from its list.

Thiruvananthapuram: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has slammed Jamia Milia Islamia University (JMI) for removing Thiruvananthapuram, the only centre in South India, from its list of entrance test centres.

Taking to social media X, the Congress MP said, "Jamia Millia Islamia University (JMI) has removed Thiruvananthapuram from its list of entrance test centres. And it was the only such centre in south India! The city, moreover, witnessed at least 550 students taking the exams. An inexplicable decision: Has JMI decided it doesn't want South Indian students?"

Later speaking to ANI on Friday, the Congress MP said that the decision was a short-sighted decision and said that he would write to the JMI vice chancellor to "object strongly."

"I am disappointed by the decision of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) to cancel the only examination centre they have in the South, which happens to be in Thiruvananthapuram. It makes absolutely no sense. No explanation has been given to anybody, least of all the students. We had about 550 students taking the exam last year in Thiruvananthapuram. Where will this year's students go? And unless JMI has decided they don't want students from the South, this is an extremely short-sighted decision. I'm writing to the vice-chancellor of Jamia to object strongly. I've also gone public on this, and I really think that this kind of thing has to change," Tharoor told ANI.

Further, he stated that people should think of the country as one and not just remain in little regions.

"We have to be really thinking of ourselves as one country and not just remain in our own little regions and not pay attention to the rest of the country. There are a lot of people with aspirations in the South who would like to come and study in Jamia. Give them a chance..." he further stated.