Indian Engineering Services (IES) aspirant Aabid Rehman could barely complete his first semester in a Srinagar college last year due to frequent strikes and unrest in the Kashmir valley. This 20-year-old from Nowgam village in the sensitive Anantnag district was, however, keen to become an engineer to financially support his poor family.
Just when Aabid felt his dreams were crashing, help came from Mehsana, over 2,000 km away from his native. Aabid topped the semester in Unjha-based SR Patel Engineering College this year. Looking at his stellar academic performance, Aabid’s teachers are confident he would top in Gujarat Technological University.
Like Aabid, there are nine other Kashmiri students who have enrolled in colleges of Mehsana which are fully sponsoring their education, boarding, coaching and lodging to see that their dreams of higher studies are fulfiled.
“Kashmiris are worried as the younger generation has its own aspirations while the international community has its own perception of youngsters there,” said Sanjay Bhavsar from Vishwagram Trust, which has facilitated education of these students under a unique initiative rolled out last year.
Beginning with admission of four students, including a girl, from Anantnag, Baramulla and Budgam districts in the Unjha college, the number of Kashmiris have increased to 10 with six more students from the valley taking admissions in Ganpat University, Mehsana and Sankalchand Patel University, Visnagar apart from SR Engineering. These higher education institutes are welcoming Kashmir students with open arms to study engineering and pharmacy by admitting them in management quota seats.
“Had I continued studies in Srinagar, I would have wasted my time due to unrest. Most Kashmiri students prefer studying in Chandigarh or Bengaluru. But here I am getting all the support to build my career and that too without any expense,” said Aabid, who wants to support his father, whose mobility is restricted due to joints problem.
If Aabid has topped by scoring 9.20 and 9.53 semester performance index in first two semesters, Shozia Manzoor, another student from Anantnag finished as second topper at the Unjha college. In fact, away from her home, Shozia, has found a new home in residence of college principal Dr Ami Shah. “Our management was ready to accommodate as many needy students from Kashmir. But, after giving it a thought, we selected those students who were needy but were good in education. We followed this policy so that more students from Kashmir start coming to Gujarat and there is a permanent bridge,” said Shah, a masters from IIT Bombay and PhD from IIT Roorkee.
Anantnag native Waseem Ahmed Sofi, 17, is first-year diploma in mechanical engineering student at Ganpat University for the last three months. “I could not have got a better opportunity. Besides free education and other facilities, the atmosphere here is very friendly.”
Bhavsar said there are more institutes in Gujarat who are ready to give admissions to Kashmir students.
