“I have no words to describe my happiness,” Faesal, a 2008 batch graduate of the Jhelum Valley Medical College, said in Delhi on Thursday.
“My achievement has helped break a stereotype about my community,” said Faesal, who cracked the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam in his first attempt. “I will be an inspiration and set a precedent for the people of Kashmir”
An RTI activist, a columnist in a Srinagar daily and a doctor, Faesal always wanted to “do something big”, said his mother Mubeena.
“Its a matter of great honour for the family,” said Mubeena, a teacher. Her eyes brimming with tears. She only wished her husband Ghulam Mohd Shah, were alive to share the family’s joy. Ghulam was killed in 2002.
“I really miss my father at this point in time,” Faesal said.
This was the second violent death in the family. Earlier, Mubeena’s brother, Irshad had died “in cross-firing”. Mubeena said.
The top 25 candidates comprise 15 males and 10 females, it said.
A total of 409,110 candidates applied for the civil services examination in 2009. As many as 193,091 candidates appeared for the preliminary examination and 12,026 candidates qualified for the main examination.
A total of 2,432 candidates were shortlisted for the personality test conducted in March-April 2010.
Faesal said he had first-hand experience with insurgency violence, and wanted to “bridge the communication gap between the people of Kashmir and the government”.
Of the 875 candidates who qualified the 2009 civil services exam, 680 are men and 195 women. Prakash Rajpurohit, an engineering graduate from IIT-Delhi came second. Iva Saha from JNU, who bagged the third rank, was the first among woman candidates.
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