Srinagar – The annual IIPAIDSW annual debating competition organized by Indian Institute of Public Administration (J&K) regional branch in collaboration with Department of Students Welfare University of Kashmir was here on Thursday.
More than 30 students from various colleges and universities of the valley participated in the annual debating competition during which a vibrant discourse was witnessed between the participants who spoke in favor of civil services as a career option and those who spoke against the motion.
In his address, Vice Chancellor SKAUST (K) Prof Tej Pratap who was chief guest during a valedictory function which was held to felicitate the participants of the debating competition said Today`s world is a flat one and crowded. And when we say that it is flat it means that it provides equal opportunities to everyone to excel in life and when we say it is crowded it means that there is a stiff competition. Therefore the students have to be very careful and smart while choosing a particular career. It is for them to decide that whether they want to stand in the line and follow the bandwagon in a city like Bengaluru where every year one lakh students get admitted for engineering courses in various colleges or to do something different and take a uniformed decision for themselves which will help in shaping their future prospects.
While appreciating the Kashmir University for providing platform to students where such issues and discourses are held Prof Pratap said The opportunity for today`s youth lies in looking at things from a different perspective and it is here where they can make a difference by bringing a change to the established structures of administration and governance.
Presenting some statistics Chairman ASCENT group and retired IAS officer Mohammad Shafi Pandit who was guest of honour on the occasion said Our people are in a state of disempowerment due to inadequate representation of their own son of the soils in the present administrative and bureaucratic dispensation. We are in a state of disempowerment vis-à-vis with the other people of the state at national level due to our poor representation in civil and other allied services.
Quoting some national and state level figures Pandit said An aspirant of IAS has to compete with lakhs of other candidates at national level .In order to make it to the final list of selected candidate he/she has to leave 97.7 percent of candidates behind.
He added As per the statistics in 2008, 1879 candidates from J&K state appeared in civil service exams for IAS and other allied services. And in 2009 the number increased to 2274 where as in 2010 it increased further up to 3090. However, again in 2011 the number decreased to 2380.Therfore, as per the trends of over the last few years the number of candidates appearing in this exam is both increasing and decreasing. But what is more important is that the number of candidates who get selected from the state in the final list has increased over the years.
In his address AM Watali a retired civil service officer while terming the youth as agents of change said The question is that we have to realize that is there really a need to have local civil service officers who can represent our culture, tradition, potential and strengths in administration and governance both at state and national level and if the answer is yes then it is the youth who have to take an initiative and be the agents of change and rejuvenate the traditional and obsolete methods and treatise of governance and administration.
Speaking on the occasion Dean Academic Affairs Prof AM Shah said Though off late there has been a little change in the overall attitude of the society towards civil service exams in Kashmir and we are witnessing some positive developments. However medicine and engineering continues to be the first choice here and it is this approach which needs to be changed and it the youth who will bring this timely change.
Dean Students Welfare Professor Neelofar Khan said that the aim of holding such debates is to motivate the students to do the best in their areas of interest and provide them a window of opportunity where they could see at the world beyond the four walls of the classroom and interact openly with experts by using such platform .
Earlier in his address noted law professor Dr . Mehraj ud din inaugurated the day long debate and said that IIPA is there to promote talent . participation in these activities helps our students to give vent to their abilities and consolidate their experiences Prof Mehraj said.
The first, second and third prize during the completion was won by Ms Syeda Mehraj from Government Medical College Srinagar, Mr Shahkar Mehraj from Kashmir University and Ms Asma Zahoor from Government Degree College for Women MA road.
The first , second and third consolation prizes were given to Ms Syed Samreen Geelani from KU, Ms Syed Ramin Zehra from KU and Ms Seerat Zehra from Islamia College of Science and Commerce.
The jury who evaluated the performance of the participants included Mr GJ Nehvi, Dr Shahid Rasool, Mr Mufti Bashir and Mr Bashir Ahmad KKhawaja.
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