Kashmirs 11

While it may be hasty and unwise to draw larger conclusions from this,the fact remains that a growing and significant number of young people in the troubled state may be working towards a job that will make them a powerful part of the government. They will steer policy,make decisions that affect other citizens,whether they work in their own state or in other parts of India. This participation in national projects is what draws an estranged state into the mainstream,not merely packages of economic aid handed down from Delhi to Kashmir. This change is not just good for the young Kashmiri civil servants,it is also good for the civil services. The IAS,for instance,was once a clubby network of social elites,but has transitioned to a more inclusive force in recent decades. A stronger Kashmiri presence in the prestigious all-India services is also bound to affect the character of administration,make it more responsive and representative.

The message from this small change in Kashmir could be writ large. The signs of increase in the enthusiasm for a civil services career in the state framed in this years results could signal a shift from agitation to system-building in the foreseeable future.