Isma Jabeen from Drass Secures AIR 723 in JEE Advanced 2026

In a place better known for extreme cold and memories of war than for IIT dreams, a 20 year old Isma Jabeen from Khunda village in Drass has created history. In her second attempt at JEE advanced 2026 as she secured All India Rank 723 and became one of the very few girl from ladakh to clear the exam. Isma is also the first person in her family not only to appear for JEE advanced but also to clear it. Her achievement is more than a rank. It is a moment that could inspire many students in Kargil and Drass to learn about the exam, dream bigger and believe that such goals are achievable even from remote regions. Scroll the article to get more details.

A Clear Goal and a Strong Sense of Home

With AIR 723, Isma has been considering Civil Engineering and Computer Science. But her thinking is deeply connected to where she sees her future. She wants to continue living in Ladakh and says civil engineering may be more useful there because the region has growing infrastructure needs while opportunities in computer science are still limited due to lack of private companies.She is open to studying outside Ladakh and even doing internships abroad, but only for some time. In the long run, she wants to return home. She says this is fully her own decision, not family pressure. She feels comfortable in Ladakh and cannot imagine living away forever.

Choosing Her Own Path in a Remote Region

Isma says she is one of only two girls from Ladakh to clear JEE Advanced this year. In places like Drass, where awareness about the exam is still low and internet connectivity often becomes weak during snowfall, this is a major achievement. Many people advised her to choose medicine because she was good at Biology, but she did not follow that path.

Her family, however, stood by her throughout. She first heard about JEE in Class 10 when she realised she wanted to do something in Mathematics. After completing Class 12th from JKBOSE in 2025 she took a year drop and joined RISE coaching.

How She Prepared and Stayed Mentally Strong

Preparing from Drass came with challenges. There are no large coaching hubs, the peer group is small, and access to resources is limited compared to cities like Delhi or Kota. Still, Isma saw one advantage in staying home. Being close to family helped her avoid the stress and pressure of the usual competitive race.

She did not isolate herself from everything and did not believe in studying 12 or 13 hours daily. Her method was simple: revise early, avoid backlog, and stay consistent.During her drop year many people questioned her decision and asked why she was wasting a year. She had backup options through CUET, IISER and even a decent NIT possibility with 91 percent in JEE Mains but she stayed focused. Her message to students in Ladakh is clear and powerful- do not listen too much to the society believe in what you want and go for it.