Ambitious Kashmiri students streaming out of Valley

By Dilip -
From her younger days at school in Gopalpura village, Mehvish Riyaz Hakeem wanted to be a doctor, and to build her career she was ready to move anywhere. Her father, Riyaz Ahmed Hakeem, a grocer, spoke to some of his friends and learned about the famous cram schools in Kota, Rajasthan. 

 "In Kashmir, my daughter was not satisfied with the locally  available coaching facilities as she was planning to sit for the medical entrance tests. I knew that the coaching institutes in Kota were very successful in helping students crack the test," Ahmed told Khabar South Asia." She was ready to go anywhere for better coaching. So, as soon as she finished her tenth standard board exam, I sent her to Kota. Now she is preparing herself well. I am sure she will succeed to enter a good medical college soon and fulfil our dream for her."
Mehvish, now a residential student at Kota's Allen Career Institute, is pleased with her present coaching. "While I was in Kashmir I was worried how I would gain entrance to a good medical college because I had no access to good coaching there. But the coaching I am receiving in Kota is excellent and I am sure that I shall be able to crack the national-level entrance test and enter a good medical college," the 18-year-old told Khabar.
The Allen Institute is now coaching over 200 Kashmiri students aiming to enter leading medical and engineering colleges. According to several estimates, at least 500 young Kashmiri Muslim aspirants are undergoing coaching in Kota's dozens of cram schools, and most of them are girls.
Allen Institute media and marketing manager Nitesh Sharma said Kota's cram schools became popular among students across India in the 1990s, but only began attracting Kashmiri students two or three years ago. "After Kashmir turned somewhat peaceful in recent years, in increasing numbers, young students began focusing on their studies. Soon, we began receiving inquiries from the Kashmiri students," Sharma told Khabar. "After some Kashmiri students joined our institute and got entry in good colleges, news of their success encouraged more students to come and join our institute."
Allen authorities have granted some special privileges to Kashmiri Muslims as their numbers grow. "The Kashmiri girls are allowed to wear Hijab in the class. They get class breaks for namaaz," Sharma said. "They are even allowed to offer namaaz inside the institute."
Soaring ambitions
Kashmiri students in Kota are forced to adapt to a culture different from what they grew up with, but generally they find the challenge a positive one. "The climate and food in Kota is very different from that of Kashmir and we find it quite tough to adjust. But I am confident that my hard work and sacrifice will finally pay off," Kupwara native Abida Ashraf told Khabar. "My landing in Kota has been a positive turning point in my life. I shall become a good doctor, I am sure now. In our village people seek female doctors. I want to go back to my village and serve my people."
Abida's classmate, Mehvish, has begun dreaming of a career beyond medicine. After taking a medical degree, she wants to clear Union Public Service Commission's civil services examinations to become a member of the elite Indian Administrative Service (IAS). "When I was in Kashmir I just had the ambition to become a doctor. But now I have begun dreaming of becoming an IAS officer. In Kashmir I want to work as a civil servant, to be able to do something to help upgrade the standard of life of rural people," Mehvish said.
Social activist Raza Muzaffar Bhatt said Kashmir is set to benefit in many ways as more ambitious students pursue higher education. "In Kashmir a whole generation was sucked into the black hole of despair and uncertainty during the high period of militancy. The normalcy is returning to society slowly," Bhatt told Khabar. "These young Kashmiri students who are coming of the Valley to study in other Indian states will help build a powerful society in Kashmir in the near future."

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