Jammu and Kashmir: KAS exam done and dusted, Kamila shifts gears to crack UPSC today

Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) announced the results of the Combined Competitive Examinations Services examination (CCE) for the year 2018 and Kamila Mushtaq, 27, from Karanagar area of Srinagar, secured the first rank in the examination in her first attempt only. She secured 1118.33 marks to secure the top spot.

Kamila has been a student of Tiny Harts School in Srinagar and had pursued Bachelors in Technology from National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar, before being appointed as a Maths teacher at Boys Higher Secondary School, Zainakot. Coming from the background of government employees, Kamila vows to serve people in all her capacities while remaining in bureaucracy.

Kamila said she has put all her efforts in reaching to the position she is at today and it needs to be encouraged and celebrated. While talking about her subjects under preparation, she said, “My optional subject for the examination was anthropology, and I chose it because of my interest in it.”

The civil engineering graduate believes it is just her family who is behind this huge success.

“Yes, my parents are my backbone, whatever decision I took in my life they firmly supported it and not only that but also provided me the balance to stand upright.”

Kamila was always clear about her goals, after B,Tech her parents wanted her to opt for M.Tech but she knew that she wasn’t going for that.

"Being a public servant was my dream, that is why I went for KAS and not M.Tech as my parents had suggested to me.”

Hence she began her preparations back in 2017 only which means she was one year ahead in chasing her dreams.

“I was firm in my decision and I knew I had to pour in a lot of efforts. I knew I had to dedicate all my time to it but I was ready to do it with all my heart.”

While talking about difficulties she faced during preparations she said, “There is no doubt that exams like KAS are difficult to crack but one has to make sure to work hard and work under a proper routine to accomplish the task.”

Kamila’s phone is abuzz with greeting calls and messages but for now she has shut it all out as she is appearing in UPSC exams on Sunday and she is again firm that she will qualify that as well.

“For now I am not focusing on celebrations but to clear IAS and if God wills I will qualify that too.”

Her parents are all smiles and proud over their daughter’s achievement.

Malik Mushtaq Ahmad, a retired government employee said that if someone has to take the credit of success it is my daughter and not us, we only supported our daughter’s choice.

Her mother Tasleema, who also happens to be a government employee maintains, “I am taking pride in calling Kamila my daughter and I am sure she I would celebrate many such successes of hers in future as well.”

"While being reminded of Kamila’s career choice she said that they both (her husband and she) told her to join M.Tech as KAS is much difficult but she desired to go for it and today she did what she aspired to do,” she said.

Kamila asks the KAS aspirants to be persistent and patient.

She said it is a journey that needs to be walked with heaps of hard work, confidence and efforts.

It is pertinent to mention here that JKPSC announced results for the KAS-2018 exams on September 29, this year.

The preliminary exams were conducted on September 16, 2018, in which total number 25188 candidates appeared. On September 27, 2018, the results were declared in which a total of 1750 candidates cleared the exams.

The main written examination was held between July 22 and July 29 of 2019 and only 229 candidates were declared successful. Out of 229 candidates, who were called for the interview, only 70 candidates could make it to the final list.