Gardener’s Son from Kashmir Secures AIR 7 in UPSC CSE 2022, Says ‘There Was Mental Pressure, Lack of Guidance’

The youth of Jammu and Kashmir have shined once again with 16 qualifying in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) civil services exam 2022 results declared on Tuesday. They have been proving their metal despite hardships. Among those who have qualified is the son of a gardener, Waseem Ahmad Bhat, from Dooru Shahbad village of Anantnag district in south Kashmir, who has secured All India Rank 7th in the CSE.

Waseem studied at a local school in the Dooru area before studying at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Srinagar. Though he had qualified for UPSC in 2020 and ranked 225, he decided to sit for the exam again. He was undergoing training in Nagpur when the news came in. “It was surprising, my name was on the first page. I thought I would be among the 70 but rank 7 brought joy for me and my family,” Waseem said.

He said there was a lack of guidance because no one close to him had appeared for civil service exams before. “Even if you have guidance, you need resources, be it financial or study. There is always a mental pressure and it’s important to cope with that and family and friends help in easing that pressure,” Waseem said, adding that he wanted to be an IAS always. Waseem says a lot of youth in the valley and villages are capable to qualify for the UPSC civil services exam.

Similarly, Parsanjeet Kour, from Poonch district of Jammu region is delighted as she has secured 11th rank in UPSC CSE 2022. The district is close to the Line of Control and has its own challenges. Kour studied chemistry in Jammu and always wanted to qualify for civil service. “I graduated from Poonch itself and then moved to Jammu. The exam is long and complicated. There are difficulties but my parents, teachers, and handwork kept me going,” she said adding that she wants to serve in Jammu and Kashmir.

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Nitin Singh, rank 32, was preparing for the last 3 years and hard work finally has paid off. Singh had qualified Jammu and Kashmir Administrative exams and was undergoing training in Srinagar.

“After college, I started preparing. I did coaching from Delhi, studied basic books, and sat for mock tests. There is uncertainty and this was my third attempt. I didn’t expect 32 ranks,” Singh said. The Jammu and Kashmir government has congratulated all those who have qualified for the exam. More youth in the valley are now attempting UPSC.