In Kashmir's Rush to Succeed, a Pause Is Missing

Letter to Editor

- Abrar Ul Islam

The pressure on Kashmiri kids rarely speaks its name. It shows up in the drooping shoulders, the restless eyes, the growing silence inside our classrooms.

I see it every day as a schoolteacher. Our students sit still for long hours, carrying more than just books. They carry invisible weight. The fear of falling behind, the stress of constant comparison, and the ache of not knowing how to slow down.

The pace of school life in Kashmir has quickened. Between academic pressure, social expectations, and the creeping pull of digital screens, our students are left with little room to move, to pause, or to simply breathe.