43 Muslims Selected in Civil Services Exams for 2019 Batch

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43 Muslims Selected in Civil Services Exams for 2019 Batch

04 Aug 2020 07:08 PM, IST

42 Muslims clear civil services exams for 2019 batch

Firasha Shaikh| India Tomorrow

PUNE, AUGUST 4—As many as 43 Muslims have been selected in the civil services examinations for the 2019 batch conducted by the Union Public Service Commission.

This accounts for five per cent of the total of 829 students recruited by UPSC this year.

This is a major improvement from the previous year when only 28 Muslim candidates were selected which was only 4 per cent of 759 candidates selected.

However, only one Muslim candidate is among the top 100. He is Safna Nazrudeen, who ranked 45, with his roll number 1902112.

However, this is not a good picture because Muslims comprise more than 16 per cent of the country’s population. Going by their population, their proportional representation in the civil services should have been more than 15 per cent.

Commenting on the increase in the number of Muslim candidates, Suhail Shaikh, Secretary of Knowledge Park Charitable Trust, an NGO based in Maharashtra, told India Tomorrow : “It can be attributed to the fact that at national level, awareness of civil services among Muslim community is increasing. Muslim-run NGOs and coaching centres for UPSC exams are no longer just limited to major cities anymore but are also working in the smaller cities and towns. Credit for this increase in numbers of Muslim candidates, therefore, cannot solely go to the established coaching centres in the major cities but also to the smaller grassroot-level organizations and to the community as well. Smaller organizations offer financial support to Muslim candidates as well as offering them support in terms of coaching and guidance. Representation in civil services for Muslims is essential for economic development and social development of not just community but the nation as well.” Suhail’s NGO is engaged in providing support and guidance to UPSC aspirants in Maharashtra.

When asked about the ways to improve the existing percentage of representation, he responded: “Coaching centres need to build their own infrastructures, need to have their own faculty and there needs to be change in attitudes in imparting of knowledge in the training programmes. Methodology should be research-based and needs to be constantly appraised and improved upon. Currently, the representation stands at 5 percent which is a gradual improvement from previous statistics of 2.5 per cent to 4 per cent over the years. It is possible to take the representation to even 10 per cent, provided there is focus on quality of training and assessment given by the Muslim-run coaching centres.”

Regarding only one candidates making it to the top 100, he said : “Trends differ from year to year and we cannot expect a consistent trend. The important thing is that the numbers and representation in the other services especially IPS and Central Group A and Group B services is increasing and through the right kind of efforts, there would be increase in numbers among administrative services as well.”

Huzaifa, a civil services aspirant who has done his preparation from Haj House, Mumbai, and is preparing for the 2020 attempt, says he feels encouraged when he sees Muslim candidates passing civil services exam. “It is good to see representation from the community which has not always got adequate representation”, he says. Huzaifa is of the opinion that if candidates improve their study, strategies and take necessary efforts, they too can eventually make it to the top ranks.

Firdous, another civil service aspirant who has been preparing since 2018, spoke about the various challenges faced by many Muslim students when they move from their hometowns and villages to big cities for UPSC coaching. When asked about her opinion on why there is less number of female Muslim candidates as opposed to male Muslim candidates, she replied: “Muslim female candidates are less in number because often times they do not always get the support they need from society and family; they definitely need to be encouraged and supported more.”

Acording to IAS coaching academices, there has been notable increase in numbers of Muslim candidates appearing for civil services and attending coaching centres in the last few years. However, they say that it is only only through sustained efforts that the representation of Muslims would be maintained as well as improved.

Here is the list of Muslim candidates having been selected for civil services examination, 2019 batch.

1. SAFNA NAZARUDEEN

2. SHAIKH MOHD ZAIB ZAKIR

3. RUMAIZA FATHIMA R V

4. ONGJAI MOHD ALI AKRAM SHAH

5. SAMIR AHMAD

6. SUTHAN ABDULLAH

7. SOFIA

8. ASRAR AHMAD KICHLOO

9. NOORUL QUAMER

10. AJMAL SHAHZAD ALIYAR RAWTHER

11. FARMAN AHMAD KHAN