Hajibal youth cracks prestigious ISSE with flying colours

Baramulla: There is jubilation and excitement in the small hamlet of Hajibal, 20 km from Baramulla town after a village youth cracked the prestigious Indian Statistical Services Examination (ISSE) with flying colours.

Syed Adil Zahoor Bukhari has become only the second Kashmiri to pass the prestigious ISSE examination.

The successful journey of Adil is incredible in many ways

Despite belonging to a modest family and hailing from an area that saw electricity in 2002 and road connectivity in 2010, the success of Adil is testimony of the fact that little resources and economic difficulties should not become a hurdle in achieving one’s goal.

After completing his Bachelor’s degree from Government Degree College, Baramulla, Adil pursued his Master’s in Statistics at the University of Kashmir (KU).

He also qualified the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) in 2020 and later qualified the Accounts Assistant exam through the Jammu and Kashmir Service Selection Board.

“The job was extremely important for my family owing to my financial problems at home,” said Adil. “However, despite being selected for Accounts Assistant at Kupwara, I did not forget my goal of cracking ISSE.”

Adil said he received tremendous cooperation from his professors at KU.

“Their consistent persuasion and my personal objective of cracking the ISSE finally gave me success,” he said.

For Adil’s father, Syed Zahoor Ahmad, the success of his son is what parents dream about their children. “I work in a private school as a non-teaching faculty. Despite having little resources, I tried my best to provide my children a better education. When the dreams of parents are actualised by their children, there is nothing more one desires,” he said.

The villagers in Hajibal are jubilant on Adil’s success. They have reason to rejoice.

The area is just 20 km from Baramulla town but the hilly terrain and lack of basic amenities makes the village one of the most backward villages of Baramulla.

“It is indeed a huge success,” said Fayaz Ahmad of Hajibal. “Few years back we used to carry household items on our shoulders from Baramulla town to Hajibal. Now in the same village, which is backward in many ways, produced Adil, who cracked the prestigious examination. He has now become an inspiration for other students here to make it big in life.”