By Muslim Mirror Staff
Srinagar : Perhaps conflict has led to a realisation in Kashmir that education can be the light at the end of a never ending tunnel. Even though there is a surge in violence and increased rage against the Indian state but that hasn’t led to abandonment of education.
Even boys picking up guns are also educated- some graduates , some post graduates and Phd scholars. Few assistant professors too. Kashmiri students probably understand that there can be no reasons to compromise on education, even if they themselves are fighting an asymmetric war.
The year 2018 is about to end as the bloodiest year in a decade. The last 12 months witnessed the highest number of killings with the highest number of encounters happening in the three districts of south Kashmir: Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam. Kashmir witnessed the highest number of strikes but this region witnessed more hartals and huge disturbances.
But the students have defied all odds and have topped the list amongst other districts of Kashmir division in the recently declared class 10th results. Pulwama has the highest percentage and Shopian plays the second fiddle.
In the district wise ranking across Kashmir districts, Pulwama tops the chart with 84.50 percent students passing the exams. In the neighbouring Shopian, the pass percentage is 83 percent.
It is 81.90 percent in Srinagar, Kashmir’s capital city and home to all the “best” schools in Kashmir. With 80.50 percent it is Kulgam at No 4 position. It is 78 percent in Islamabad, 74.84 percent in Baramulla, 73.16 percent in Ganderbal, 72.79 percent in Budgam, 62.92 percent in Kupwara and 62.26 percent in Bandipora.
Surprisingly the pass percentage of students in private sector schools was also recorded as highest for the district Pulwama with 90.29 percent, followed by Kupwara with 87.95 percent, 87.10 percent in Islamabad, 87.01 percent in Shopian
Besides, the students of government schools in Pulwama district have highest pass percentage of 76.94 percent, followed by Kulgam with 74.96 percent pass percentage, Shopian 74.67 percent, Islamabad with 67.93 percent, Srinagar with 65.52 percent, Baramulla with 64.27 percent, Budgam with 63.38 percent, Ganderbal with 62.62 percent, Bandipora with 58.14 percent and least in Kupwara with 54.01 percent.
The overall pass percentage has increased from 62.94 percent to 75.44 percent this year.
When eminent senior journalist and Editor Syed Shujaat Bukhari was assassinated a day before Eid outside his office, he left behind a son Tahmeed Bukhari, who appeared for his Class 10 examinations later in the year. He has now passed the exams with 95% marks.
Former chief ministers of the state, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, took to Twitter to congratulate Tamheed for clearing his exams with flying colours.
“Excellent news. Well done Tamheed & good luck for your last two years of school,” Omar wrote.
Mufti, too, tweeted, “Best wishes to Tamheed, son of Shujaat Bukhari, Sehar, granddaughter of SASG & all others who passed Class 10 board exams today. To those who didn’t make it, there is no shortcut to hard work. Perseverance is the key to success.”
Ifra Sheraz, a girl from Shopian has secured a near perfect score of 99 per cent in board exams.
However, death seems to provide itself as a steady companion to all narratives in the valley. A 14- year-old boy who was killed by forces in Kapren district during clashes, too, has qualified the exam.
Class 10 student Numan Ashraf Bhat, from Balsoo village of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district, was killed on November 25 near a gunfight site in Kapren, where six militants were believed to be trapped.
This year 250 militants have been killed in Kashmir and most of them are locals from south Kashmir. Besides this, the state witnessed the killing of 89 security personnel and the death of 106 civilians. Reports further suggest that this year, Kashmir has witnessed over 1,500 stone pelting incidents, with most of them occurring south of the valley.