Shopian, June 2 For years, admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) appeared a distant aspiration for many students in South Kashmir’s Shopian district.

This year, Soliha has rewritten that narrative.
Soliha has become the first girl from Shopian to qualify JEE Advanced 2026, achieving a milestone that has drawn attention within educational circles and inspired students across the district.
Her achievement assumes significance not merely for securing eligibility for IIT admission but also for breaking new ground for female students from the district pursuing engineering education.
Associated with Rise Institute during her preparation, Soliha’s success came after years of academic effort, rigorous preparation and perseverance through the highly competitive examination process.
JEE Advanced remains among India’s toughest entrance examinations, demanding sustained discipline and strong conceptual understanding.
For Soliha, the journey reflected determination and persistence through academic pressure, repeated tests and moments of uncertainty that often accompany competitive examinations.
Her success is being viewed as more than an individual accomplishment.
For many in Shopian and across Kashmir, it sends a wider message that ambition and opportunity can transcend geography and longstanding barriers, particularly for young girls pursuing careers in science and technology.