Forced to leave her home because she was a Kashmiri Pundit, this girl has now cracked state civil services exam

Her story is an inspiration to many. Photo Courtesy: Twitter

A long, long time ago, little Kashyap Neha Pandita was forced to leave her village and her house along with her family in the Shopian district of South Kashmir. It was sometime around 1989-90, when Kashmiri pundits were fleeing the land they were born due to growing militancy. Kashyap was too young to understand what was happening. The next few years were tough. Her family had to live in a tent in the Jhiri area of Jammu. Later, they moved to one-room tenement in Mishriwalla, in the city. Cut to 2017, the same girl has now cracked the Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS) exams and bagged the fourth rank.

Kashyap Neha Pandita's Struggle

When Pandita's family was forced to flee Kashmir, she was in grade 1. But, the living situation never hampered her studies Right from high school to graduation, she aced all her subjects. Later, she opted for a master's degree in organic chemistry and a bachelor's degree in education.

"We migrated from Shopian in 1992. We lived in a tent in Jhiri and then in a one-room tenement in Mishriwalla from where I started my studies as class 1 student and completed my graduation," she says in an interview to the Hindustan Times.

"I have been ranked fourth in the merit list. I had opted for zoology in the prelims and zoology and anthropology in the mains," she continued.

Interestingly, she did not take any tuition while she prepared for the exam in 2017. Though, it was her first attempt, she cracked it without any coaching.

When Pandita's family was forced to flee Kashmir, she was in grade 1. Photo Courtesy: Twitter

Her Success Is an Inspiration to Many

According to a report published in The Better India, Neha said it was her uncle Rattan Lal and brother, Dr Kashyap Viresh, who motivated her to study for the civil services. Under the Government's special jobs scheme for Kashmiri Pandit's, she was appointed as an accounts assistant in the Shopian district treasury last year.

She credits her success to her teachers and parents.

"I had sleepless nights as I prepared for the KAS exams. I toiled hard and finally I did it. It's like dream come true for me," she says.

Neha's Success Has Changed The Lives of Those Who She Loves

Neha's success is not hers alone. As she comes from an agriculturist background, her family depends on the relief money--which is not much. Though, her siblings reveal that the financial crisis never dampened her spirits. She spent hours preparing for the exam--sometimes when 12 to 14 in a day.

Also, in 2016, she was appointed as an accounts assistant in the Shopian district treasury under the Prime Minister's Special Employment Package for KPs.

Neha now wants the youth of the country, especially Kashmiri migrants not to just focus on engineering or MBBS--but civil services too.

Well, congratulations to her on her big win.