Srinagar, Jun 01: In a landmark achievement for the region’s educational landscape, Srinagar-based RISE Institute has recorded more than 15 selections in the prestigious JEE Advanced 2026 examination, with six girls from Jammu and Kashmir earning places in the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), a feat being hailed as a major breakthrough for girls’ participation in competitive engineering education.
Among those who qualified are Soliha, Hyfa, Nuha and Ayesha from Kashmir, along with Isma and Parveen from Kargil in Ladakh. Educationists and students alike have described the achievement as a defining moment, particularly given the social and geographical challenges many young women in the region continue to face while pursuing careers in science and engineering.
The accomplishment builds on last year’s success, when three girls from Kashmir qualified for IITs, drawing widespread attention and congratulations from political leaders and national media. This year, the number has doubled, underscoring what many see as a growing shift in aspirations and opportunities for young women across Jammu and Kashmir.
Particularly significant are the selections of Isma and Parveen from Kargil, a remote region where access to structured coaching and competitive examination guidance has historically been limited. Their success is being viewed as a powerful reminder that talent exists far beyond India’s metropolitan centres and can flourish when supported with the right resources and mentorship.
Education experts believe the achievement carries significance beyond examination results. In a region where engineering has long remained a male-dominated field and where many girls face barriers ranging from social expectations to limited access to coaching facilities, the success of six young women in one year is expected to inspire a new generation of students.
Founded in 2012, RISE Institute has established itself as one of Kashmir’s leading coaching centres for engineering and medical entrance examinations. The institute says it remains the only coaching centre in the Valley to have produced IIT selections every year since its inception.
Over the past decade, more than 1,000 students from the institute have secured admissions to IITs, National Institutes of Technology (NITs), AIIMS and other premier institutions. Former students have gone on to study at IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur and IIT Roorkee, while some have also secured admissions to international institutions including Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania.
RISE was founded by IIT alumni Mubeen Masudi, Salman Shahid and Imbesat Ahmad, who chose to dedicate their efforts to strengthening educational opportunities in Kashmir.
Speaking on the achievement, Mubeen Masudi, an alumnus of IIT Bombay and co-founder of the institute, said the results reflected the immense potential that exists among students in the region.
“Kashmir has always had brilliant minds. What it needed was the right environment and the belief that these dreams were achievable. Today’s result—15-plus IIT selections, including six girls and two students from Kargil—is proof that when students receive sincere support and guidance, they can exceed every expectation. We are immensely proud of them,” he said.
Co-founder Salman Shahid, an alumnus of IIT Kharagpur, described the six girls’ success as a moment that could reshape perceptions about girls’ education in the region.
“When Soliha, Hyfa, Nuha, Ayesha, Isma and Parveen cracked IIT, they did more than secure seats in some of the country’s most prestigious institutions. They sent a message to every young girl in Kashmir and Kargil that these opportunities are within reach. The numbers matter, but these six names represent something much larger,” he said.
As celebrations continue among students and families, many see this year’s results as another sign of a changing educational landscape in Jammu and Kashmir—one in which students from remote towns, villages and underserved regions are increasingly finding their way to some of the world’s most competitive institutions.
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For many aspiring students, especially young girls, the success stories emerging from Kashmir and Kargil this year may serve as proof that ambition, hard work and access to quality guidance can overcome even the most formidable barriers.
