It was just yesterday that thousands of aspirants across Jammu & Kashmir walked into examination halls with years of hope resting on their shoulders. The JKPSC examination, which has long been considered a gateway to stability, dignity, and recognition, proved once again that the journey of an aspirant is far from ordinary. The paper this time was not merely tough , it was a test of endurance, patience, and emotional resilience.

The English question paper, spanning thirty–eight pages, took many of us by surprise. Language subjects are generally assumed to be based on comprehension, interpretation, and expression. But the paper-setters had something different in mind. They seemed determined to evaluate not just our memory or academic qualification, but whether we had truly lived and internalized the subject. Those who had spent the last four to five months burning the midnight oil could navigate through the questions, but others found themselves struggling, wondering where they had gone wrong.
This is the silent truth of competitive examinations—not everyone begins from the same starting point. For a young candidate fresh out of college, time feels abundant, energy seems tireless. But what about those of us preparing at 35, 38, or even 40 years of age? It is no simple undertaking.
At such a stage, life is already full:

Family responsibilities
Children’s education
Household expenses
Pressure of age and expectations

And above all, the emotional weight of unemployment despite years of education
These are not just words; they are daily realities. The competition today is not between equals. Thousands of PhD holders walk the streets without job security. A society that once celebrated degrees now sees no guarantee in them.
In Kashmir particularly, the situation is more delicate. If we leave the government job sector aside, there is not much in the private domain that can assure survival with dignity. Entrepreneurship is still limited, industries are weak, and employment opportunities outside government institutions remain scarce. Therefore, the pressure on competitive exams becomes immense, sometimes unbearable.
Yet, despite all this, hope does not die. A large part of this perseverance comes from faith. As for myself, when the datesheet was announced, I saved it as my phone’s wallpaper—not out of obsession, but commitment. It reminded me every day that dreams may be delayed, but they are not denied.
It is natural to feel overwhelmed after facing such a paper. Many aspirants may now be re-evaluating their strategies, their direction, even their purpose. But perhaps this moment is also a reminder: Allah knows the sincerity of effort. Discipline is built through struggle, and growth emerges from pressure.
May Almighty Allah open doors for every educated youth, and may every aspirant—whether at 22 or 40—find a place of dignity in life. Because ultimately, the value of education is not just in employment...it is in shaping a mind that refuses to give up.

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