“When hope is sold, then stolen, the cost isn’t just in money. It’s in the future of an entire generations.”
The students of Kashmir stand at a crossroads, staring at the remnants of
shattered dreams. Every time we apply for a government job, we are not merely
submitting a form,we are placing our trust in a system that promises us a better future. But what do we get in return? Leaked papers, cancelled exams, and a government that treats our aspirations as mere paperwork. With every paper leak and every notification revoked after we’ve already paid the fees, it feels as though the rug is pulled out from under us. We are left with empty pockets and broken spirits. The betrayal grows with each passing day, and we are forced to ask: How many times must we endure this injustice? How much longer will we be made to believe that there is hope, only to have it cruelly snatched away? There are countless examples of this systemic failure: The Jammu & Kashmir Sub-Inspector Recruitment Exam paper leak in July 2022.The massive recruitment scam in the Fire and Emergency Services Department in Jammu and Kashmir in 2020.The Forest Guard recruitment exam, announced through Advertisement No. 1/2019, which was cancelled without any warning in August 2023.The recent cancellation of the Junior Engineer (Electrical) examination for the Power Development Department by the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board
(JKSSB).These are just a few glaring examples that reflect the grim reality of where we stand as students. Our hard work, faith, emotions, and skills seem to be nothing but a game to the authorities. We spend years preparing, pouring every ounce of effort and money into our studies, waiting for government job notifications with hopes of building a better future for ourselves and our families. But when these things happen, it feels like our dreams are buried right before our eyes. It’s as if we are being told that our efforts are worthless. The repeated cancellations, the leaks, and the uncertainty send a painful message: there is no future here for us. As a student, I have no other option but to seek a government job to support my family and care for my aging parents. The private sector in Kashmir is dismal, and I have no resources to start my own venture. My parents sacrificed everything they had, invested all their savings in my education,
hoping I would become a doctor, an engineer, or a teacher. Yet, what is this if not
injustice? With this constant mental pressure, students are pushed to the edge. They may not know where to turn, and despair can lead to dangerous paths: suicide, theft, gambling, drugs, and other vices. When all they see is a bleak future with no promise, how can they keep going?A Junior Engineer (JE) student, speaking to the media with tears in his eyes, shared how he had not played a single cricket match in the last two or three years—something that was once an emotional release for him. He sacrificed his passion to focus entirely on his studies, believing that a government job would be the key to securing a better future for his family. It is painful to witness students who have dedicated themselves to their studies, only to see their efforts fall apart with each paper leak or notification cancellation.
“The government should implement a more reliable and transparent recruitment process to ensure fairness for Kashmiri students. Immediate intervention is needed to preserve their educational and career aspirations, as their futures shouldn’t be left to a flawed system.”
Students Don’t Fear Failure, We Fear Injustice: The JKSSB collected ₹6,43,28,400 in application fees for just 75 posts, according to an RTI reply. Yet, the same notification is now on hold. This is not an isolated case. In 2020 and 2022, students were charged fees, but when the exams were canceled or delayed,
no refunds were issued, and new notifications were never announced. Many students are now over-aged according to the eligibility criteria. This isn’t just about canceled exams or leaked papers—this is about a generation whose future has been jeopardized, leaving us in limbo. What can we expect from students who have sacrificed everything for the promise of a job, only to see their future destroyed by a system that does not care? I urge every citizen of Jammu and Kashmir to see the situation through the eyes of a student who has invested years of hard work, their last rupee, and their unwavering faith in a system that has only let them down. Our dreams are being buried in front of the world, and no one is raising their voice against this injustice. The government has built walls of indifference around our dreams, leaving the youth of Kashmir to fight for a future that seems increasingly out of reach. We are not just statistics. We are individuals with families to support, dreams to chase, and lives to build. Yet, every leaked exam or cancelled notification feels like another punch to the gut. We plead: How many more dreams need to die before someone listens? To avoid further exploitation, I suggest the following measures to restore faith in the system: Refunding Application Fees: The government must create a policy to refund
application fees if a job notification is quashed, cancelled, or delayed beyond a
reasonable time frame. Students should not bear the financial burden when the
system fails them.Clear and Transparent Communication: Job notifications must
include clear timelines, with provisions for refunds in case of cancellations. It is
essential that students are kept informed about any changes as early as possible.
Accountability, Investigation: Leaked exams and recruitment scams must be thoroughly investigated, and those responsible should be held accountable. A transparent, public inquiry would restore some measure of trust in the system.
Introduction of a New Recruitment Process: The government should consider introducing a more reliable recruitment process, ensuring transparency and fairness, so that students are not left feeling like their futures are at the mercy of a broken system. We need immediate intervention to preserve the future of Kashmiri students. Our education, our aspirations, and our livelihoods should not be treated as expendable.
( The author is the student of Law at Kashmir Law College Nowshera Srinagar The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
Arif Zahoor Lone
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