KABUL: The Kankor, or the national university entrance exam, began on Thursday in 33 provinces, except Kabul – the first-ever exam under the Taliban where seats of thousands of female students are vacant. 
In addition to the significant decrease in the number of Kankor candidates, this year compared to the last, thousands of female students weren’t able to sit the test. 
Hadisa is one of these girls who has been prevented from going to school for the past year and thus rendered unable to graduate from high school. Thus, she cannot participate in this year’s national university entrance exam.
Speaking to APW, she said: “Today, I cried because of the powerlessness of my peers and all the girls in Afghanistan.” 
“When I heard that the national entrance examination was taking place and I could not participate, my heart melted, but what can I do?” she lamented. 
Aqila, one of the Afghan female students who could not graduate from grade 12 this year due to the closure of schools, says that her future is uncertain, and she does not know what her educational future will be.
She wants the Taliban to give a clear answer to the female students so they can be saved from the uncertainty of their future.
Moreover, the Taliban have also restricted options of what academic fields girls can choose from. Women’s rights activists consider this decision of the Taliban’s de facto administration clear discrimination against women.
According to the information from the National Examinations Administration, more than 100,000 candidates have received participation cards for the national university entrance exam this year but it is not yet clear how many of them will participate.
It’s worth mentioning that this year’s exam will last three days, and only girls who graduated from grade 12 before the Taliban will be able to participate.