J&K: Anantnag boy cracks OTA exam; will join Indian Army as Lieutenant

Jammu and Kashmir-based Zubair Ahmad Itoo has cracked the Services Selection Board (SSB) examination, securing fourth position to join as a commissioned officer in the Indian Army.

Hailing from a small village near Anantnag district of South J&K, Itoo completed his engineering from SRM University, Delhi, in May 2016. He cleared the SSB examination from special selection centre (North) Kapurthala (in Punjab) .

Now, he's all set to join the 49-week long officer training at Officers Training Academy in Chennai. After that, Itoo will join the Indian Army as a Lieutenant.

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"In four selection centres (Allahabad, Bhopal, Bangalor and Kaputhala), I have secured fourth rank and the Selection Medical Board has also cleared me in all tests. Now I will join the 49-week long officer training at Officers Training Academy in Chennai," he said.

Itoo's selection in the Indian Army has come at a time when Kashmir is witnessing civil unrest after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on 8 July. Itoo, who's district has seen the worst violence during the present unrest, believes that the youth can only achieve something through education.

"Without education, you can't achieve and do anything. Studies are important and the only way to achieve something," he told ANI. According to Itoo, the street-protests that have claimed nearly 80 lives in 81 days "won't yield anything". "I ask the youth to focus on studies to achieve something in their lives," he added.