During the 1990s, Manigam had been a hotbed of militancy. Khaliq's brother was a militant who was killed in a shootout with security forces. But now there is a more conscious attempt to integrate with the national mainstream, with many villagers trying to ensure their children are educated.

Over 60,000 aspirants appeared this year for the state civil service preliminary exams and nearly 11,600 passed the first hurdle.

'We have 395 posts to fill and these 11,600 aspirants shall now sit in the main exam to make it to the interview level,' said Khazir Muhammad Wani, a member of the state public service commission.

While Khaliq is approaching senior officers in his district to get tips for his two sons to crack the civil service exams, thousands of other parents like him are also dreaming their children will become bureaucrats and police officers.

'Gone are the days when people would think civil service exams are something the Kashmiris could never make it to. Our children have the motivation and the desire to make it and this means more than half the way has already been covered,' Wani said.

(F. Ahmed can be contacted at f.ahmed@ians.in)