‘Lehron Se Darkar Nauka Paar Nahi Hoti, Koshish Karne Walon ki Kabhi Haar nhi hoti.’ This quote by Harivansh Rai Bachchan is sits very well on Babli Kumari. Posted as a constable in Police Line, Begusarai, Bihar, she managed to crack the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exam and has been selected for the post of DSP, and soon, she will be starting her training.
However, her journey from constable to DSP wasn’t a cakewalk. She had to manage her official duties as well as her family responsibilities. She got pregnant during her exam preparation days but didn’t stop her studying and cracked BPSC. This was her third attempt. Indian Masterminds spoke to the mother of a seven-month-old child and got to know about the challenges she faced while managing her job, exam preparation, and her pregnancy, simultaneously.
DIDN’ LET PREGNANCY COME IN HER WAY
Ms. Kumari got married in the year 2013 and was selected as a constable in 2015. After being motivated by her family, she started her preparation for BPSC in 2019 but wasn’t successful in two attempts consecutively. After she gave her prelims for the third time in 2021, she found out that she was pregnant. Sharing her feelings of that time, she said, “I was happy and excited. At the same time, I also got thinking that my goal might be impossible to achieve with this condition. First two attempts were already a failure but I knew that if I try more, then I will definitely succeed. I could have made my pregnancy an excuse to give up on my dreams, but instead, I chose to continue my study with the thought that even if I didn’t succeed that time, I will definitely do so next time. I just had to maintain the continuity.”
For few months she went to a hostel in Patna for study and took care of herself and also the child in her womb. She started having all sorts of issues that come with pregnancy and the doctors even said that her unborn child is not healthy. Still, she didn’t let her studies slack and studied diligently every day. And her hard work paid off.
FAMILY FULLY SUPPORTED HER
Whether it is her husband or her in-laws, everyone believed in her potential and gave all the support she could ask for. She said, “They even promised to take care of my baby when I will be gone for training and offered to bring him to meet me every Sunday. I can proudly say that my family and my parents have acted like pillars for me. In 2017, my husband met with a severe accident. That was a tough phase for us but he kept motivating me to stay focused on my goal.”
She is now ready for all the challenges that every woman faces in balancing a job, family and kids. “Honestly, when I saw that I got into police service, I was happy and scared, too. I would have been happier with some other service because a police job doesn’t follow any fixed time. I was worried about how I will manage everything. But, now, with the support of my family, I am confident that I can make it work,” she said.
WILL TRY FOR UPSC
Ms. Kumari is not going to stop here. She now plans for bigger turf. She said that although she is satisfied with the service she got, still, she will definitely try for UPSC CSE. “Once my training is complete and I join, I will focus on the next exam. Right now, my whole attention is centered around my new job and my kid,” she said.
