The Aarifeen School of Excellence (ASE), Baramulla, has achieved a milestone by emerging as the top-performing school in Kashmir in the prestigious 26th Annual All J&K UT Level Talent Search Test 2025 conducted by Newlight Education & Environmental Service Foundation (NEESF-NEES).
Ten students from ASE secured top positions at the Union Territory level, with two students emerging as UT toppers in their respective grades.
The outstanding performance has established Aarifeen School of Excellence as the first school from North Kashmir to achieve this distinction in the highly competitive NEESF-NEES examination. Leading the honours was Anabia Nawaz of Grade 1, who secured the first position across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, earning the prestigious Gold Medal among participants from 644 schools. She was felicitated by Education Minister Sakina Itoo at SKICC Srinagar.
Congratulating the students, parents and teachers, Dr. Hanan Khalid Khan, Principal, Aarifeen School of Excellence, said the achievement reflects the school's commitment to nurturing talent through innovative and activity-based learning.
"Our students have not only excelled at the UT level but have also emerged as the highest-performing learners in Kashmir. This accomplishment is a testament to the dedication of our teachers, the support of parents, and the effectiveness of our child-centric curriculum," he said Aafreen Farooq, Curriculum Head, said the results reflect the strength of ASE's inquiry-based and experiential learning model.
"When learning is meaningful and engaging, excellence follows naturally. Our students' success demonstrates that conceptual understanding and critical thinking are far more powerful than rote memorisation," she said.