Srinagar, Sep 25: With candidates from Kashmir increasingly participating in Combined Services Examination, the phenomenon reveals a change in the priorities of students who would, until now, find it difficult to quit opting for medical and engineering services, which has been an irresistible attraction for them over the years.
 In the past two selection lists for Combined Services Examination, issued by the J&K Public Service Commission, candidates from Kashmir province have done well as compared to their performance in the earlier selections.
 In 1995 CS examination 80 candidates from Jammu province were selected under General Category while 72 from Kashmir figured in this category. In the examinations conducted in 1999, 2002 and 2005, the number of candidates selected from Jammu province under the General Category was 67, 63 and 39 respectively while 38, 24 and 16 candidates under this category were selected from the valley.
 In 2009, 111 candidates from Valley and 109 from Jammu were selected under General Category. 44 candidates were selected from Kashmir province and 37 from Jammu Province under the general category in 2010.
 Pertinently, the candidates from the Kashmir valley have to mostly compete in open merit category as the major chunk of reserved category quota candidates including SCs and STs come from Jammu region.
 Candidates, who have already cracked the civil services examination so far, believe that awareness among Valley candidates has started yielding tangible results as the number of candidates appearing in these examinations now has increased manifold.
 “Awareness dissemination for civil services examination has made candidates shun pessimism. Candidates have now cultivated a great deal of interest for these examinations. They are now fully acquainted with such examinations and it is due to the efforts of some people who tried hard to motivate and inspire them,” Shah Faesal, the 2009 IAS topper from Kashmir told Greater Kashmir.
 Faesal said: “The selection of Shahid Iqbal for IAS in 2008 bolstered the spirit of candidates who later appeared in civil services in a skilled manner and cracked the exam hands down”.
 “I was inspired by A G Mir, IPS who has conviction that efforts never go waste if they are channelized in a right direction and reinforced by dedication. I think everyone who has a resolution to do a tough thing at the end of day enjoys the victory.” Faesal said.
 He said the distribution of literature among the candidates and the seminars conducted before the examinations played a very crucial role in their success.
 A G Mir, IPS, who is being credited for taking steps to create awareness among the candidates for civil services, said awareness has a pivotal role to attract candidates towards the examination.
 “I hail from a remote village of Kupwara, 90 kilometres from Srinagar. I have studied in a government school. When I could make it to civil services, why can’t others?” he asked.
 Initially, Mir said, lack of awareness was a hiccup. “But candidates now know every thing about the civil services,” he said. “The aspirants should put in their efforts rightly and honestly and I am sure they can do it.”
 A KAS officer, who has bagged a top position in the State CSE, said increasing awareness among the candidates for civil services has overshadowed the medical and engineering as careers as these field have now become saturated ad redundant.
 “Candidates are no longer oblivious to civil services and the efforts of some people to infuse the spirit of civil services in them by organizing seminars are really commendable,” the officer said.
 He however said there are candidates who can qualify the examination easily. “But they fear failure which should not be the case,” the officer said.

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