Baramulla, Apr 22: Twelve students of Aarifeen School of Excellence (ASE), Baramulla, have brought laurels to the institution by securing top positions in the prestigious 25th Annual All J&K UT Level Talent Search Test, 2024, conducted by Newlight Education & Environmental Service Foundation (NEESF-NEES).
NEESF-NEES is the only organisation in Jammu and Kashmir authorised by the government to conduct specialised non-academic testing up to the 10+2 level. The Talent Search Project under NEESF-NEES is known for identifying gifted students through scientific assessment of general and specific skills.
A spokesperson at the school said that Nuwairah Ibrahim Khan from Grade 4 bagged the top position across the entire Union Territory, while Mohammad Abrar and Mohammad Abdullah Banday secured 7th and 18th positions respectively in the same grade.
In Grade 3, Mohammad Hamza Baigh stood 17th and Mohammad Faiq Rather achieved the 20th rank. Grade 2 saw Mohammad Salim Wani secure the 6th position, followed by Mohammad Amaan Khan (14th) and Mohammad Nabeel Mian (20th).
Grade 1 students also made their mark, with Ahmed Yahya securing the 2nd position, Amaan ul Islam 6th, Safa Shafat 11th and Emaan Masoodi clinching the 14th position at the UT level.
The school spokesperson said the students not only achieved distinction in the UT-level rankings but also topped across all schools in North Kashmir, marking a historic achievement.
Aafreen Farooq, Curriculum Head at Aarifeen School of Excellence, remarked, “Meaningful learning happens when students are actively engaged. Our learners’ remarkable performance in the NEESF-NEES Talent Search Test reflects the strength of our integrated, inquiry-driven curriculum. By nurturing curiosity, critical thinking, and real-world application, we empower students to excel naturally—without relying on rote learning or extra coaching.”
The school’s Coordinator, Ms. Asma Sadiq, attributed the success to ASE’s dynamic, child-centric curriculum.
“Our activity-based curriculum fosters multiple intelligences, and students are able to crack competitive exams without special coaching,” she said, adding that participation in such talent assessments will continue to be encouraged.
Principal ASE, Dr. Hanan Khalid Khan, while congratulating the achievers, stated that Aarifeen School of Excellence has consistently delivered exceptional performance in both academic and non-academic domains.
“Earlier this year, our students earned 146 gold medals in the International Olympiad 2024, including top five gold medals and momentos. Twelve of our learners excelled in the NEES examination without requiring any additional preparation, as our activity-based curriculum equips students to succeed in competitive exams without the need for special coaching or extra effort. What is taught in the classroom empowers our learners to compete confidently beyond it.”
The results were declared by NEESF-NEES, and the organisation is expected to announce the date and venue of the award felicitation ceremony shortly. The Lieutenant Governor’s Administration is scheduled to felicitate the meritorious students at the event.
The ASE fraternity—including management, teachers, and parents—expressed pride and joy over the students’ achievements and extended best wishes for their future endeavours.
“It’s a proud moment for us to see our child topping the NEES list. This achievement reflects how the curriculum at ASE is truly brought to life in the classroom. It’s not just about what’s taught, but how it’s taught that makes all the difference,” said the parents of Mohammad Amaan Khan.
“We’re genuinely happy with the school’s approach—our son excelled in the NEES examination without requiring any extra preparation.”
