But they are making news for totally different and positive reasons now -- ten of the them have cracked the prestigious All India Civil Services Examination, the results of which were announced two days back.
Five of the ten are from the Kashmir Valley which is gradually coming out of two decades of insurgency. One is a Muslim woman from the Valley and another a Gujjar boy from Poonch.
The lure of Civil Services received a boost when Shah Faisal topped the national list of successful candidates in 2010. He has become a poster boy for the youths searching for career options.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah congratulated the ten for the job "well done".
"Very heartening to see the number of young men and women from the state qualify the All India Civil Services Exam this year. Well done," Omar wrote on micro-blogging site Twitter.
30-year old Syed Aabid Rashid appeared for the UPSC Civil Services Examination the first time in 2010 when he secured 180th rank and was awarded the Indian Police Service.
This year, he made another attempt to get an improved rank and made it to the top 25.
"Quality of studies is more important than the quantity," Rashid, whose rank stood at 23, said, suggesting that an eight-hour daily study schedule with dedication is sufficient to crack the exam. (More)
