Winds Of Change In J&K: Rural Girls Train To Join Police, Serve Nation

At 4:30 every morning, while most of Jammu is still asleep, young girls from the rural and border belts lace up their shoes and take to the ground. Sweating, sprinting and stretching beyond their limits, they are preparing to crack the police recruitment test and earn the khaki uniform.

For these girls, the training ground is more than a fitness arena. It is the first stride toward serving the nation and safeguarding its people.

"My dream is to join the police force so that we can usher in peace and prosperity in our region," said Palvi Kumari of Billawar, pausing briefly to catch her breath between sprints.

For three rigorous hours each morning, Sub Inspector Showkat Hussain, an instructor with the Jammu and Kashmir Police Academy, drills these aspirants in every aspect of the recruitment process. With 36 years of service and hundreds of recruits trained, Hussain is a veteran. Yet he admits he is moved by the fire he sees in this batch.

"I am impressed with the grit and determination of these young girls," Hussain said. "They train with unmatched discipline. They do not just seek a job. They want to protect their soil," instructor added.

The curriculum is comprehensive and free of cost. Physical endurance, long runs, obstacle drills and personality development. This is a part of project Virangana under the aegis of Sewa Bharti in association with training partner Shakti Udghosh Foundation.

Nearly 200 girls from Jammu and Kashmir's hinterland and border villages are part of this initiative. Their resolve is rooted in lived experience.  

"We have seen how Jammu and Kashmir has suffered due to cross-border sponsored terrorism. Since childhood I wanted to join the police force to fight terror and ensure peace in the region," said Kalyani, a resident of Samba district.  

The contrast is stark. At a time when terror outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba are attempting to induct women to further violence, these daughters of Jammu and Kashmir are volunteering to stand on the frontline against terror.

This transformation mirrors a larger change sweeping across the Union Territory. Official data underscores a dramatic decline in local recruitment to terror ranks since the abrogation of Article 370.

There was a time when 400 to 500 youngsters joined terror groups every year. That tide has turned. 

From 160 youngsters joining terror ranks in 2020 to just one in 2025 and zero now, the decline is significant.

The figures tell a story of hope. Shunning the gun, the youngsters of Jammu and Kashmir are choosing to wear the badge and young girls seem to more enthusiastic to wear khaki to fight against terror.

"The ground at dawn is where their service begins," Hussain said. "These girls are not just running for a job. They are running for the nation."  

For these daughters of the soil, every drop of sweat at daybreak is a pledge to peace.