Letter and application writing (Khat o Darkhwast)
What the khat o darkhwast section tests
This section tests formal and personal Kashmiri correspondence: a letter to a relative or friend, or an application to a school authority. The examiner checks format, purpose, relevant detail, polite tone and correct grammar. An application is not a story; it should be short, factual and respectful.
Core rules
- Use the standard order: sender address, date, receiver designation and address, subject, salutation, body, closing, signature.
- In an application, state the purpose in the first sentence. Give class, roll number, dates and reason where relevant.
- Keep the request in a separate short paragraph. End with a polite formula, not a demand.
- In a personal letter, use a suitable salutation and a warmer closing, but still keep paragraphs clear.
- Use consistent formal pronouns and honorifics for the receiver.
- Write the date and subject line even if the question seems informal; their absence costs format marks.
Worked example
Application for sick leave. Subject: درخواست برائے بیماری کی چھٹی. First paragraph: I am a student of class X, roll number 14. Second paragraph: I was ill from 3 to 5 May and could not attend school; a doctor advised rest. Third paragraph: kindly grant leave for those dates. Closing: obediently, name and class. The reasoning is that the purpose, supporting detail and request appear in separate, short paragraphs, and the tone remains respectful.
Traps
Omitting the subject or date; using an informal salutation in an application; giving a vague reason such as personal work; forgetting the signature; mixing personal-letter warmth with application formality; writing a long narrative instead of a request.