Lost father in Class 5, Qazigund youth bags 1st rank in JKSSB exam

QAZIGUND — An orphan from Qazigund belt of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Friday bagged 1st position in Accounts Assistant, Panchayat exams conducted by Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB).

Abdul Shakoor Itoo, 24, who belongs to Damjan village, ranked 1st in the open merit by scoring 107.25 points.

Itoo said that after securing first position in J&K, he feels confident to crack any exams now and will try his luck in other prestigious exams as well.

Itoo, who did his basic schooling at Iqbal Public School Vessu, passed matriculate from Islamia Model Public School Hablishi, and 12th from Higher Secondary School. He did his Bachelors through Distance Mode from Kashmir University due to financial issues as he had lost his father when he was in Class 5.

“I completed my Graduation in 2018, since then I was preparing for this exam,” he said.

Itoo said after losing his father at a young age, he had to face a lot of hardships. However, he credits his mother, teachers and relatives who helped him after his father’s death.

“It is my mother who despite going through the tough phase of life stood like a rock behind me and today, it is due to her prayers as well besides her hard work that I have topped in the exam,” he said.

Itoo said he was expecting to qualify exams, but getting 1st rank was beyond his expectation.

“My message to all the students who are preparing for any examination will be to have will power, show consistency, work hard and put all your efforts. I hope if you do these things, you can achieve any dream of life,” he said.