The effect of increasing the grant amount given by the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs to the students preparing for competitive examinations can be clearly seen. Twenty-nine Muslim candidates have achieved success in the 2022 Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
The share of Muslim candidates in the total selected candidates has increased to three per cent. Earlier, 25 Muslim candidates were selected for the 2021 exam.
Describing the progressive increase in the performance of minority candidates over the last four years as a significant achievement, a ministry official said that the central government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given adequate opportunities to minority candidates to strengthen the concept of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vishwas. Budget allocation has been increased to provide the facility. The budget for providing free and subsidized coaching for minority candidates was increased from Rs 8 crore to Rs 20 crore in the 2019-20 budget
SELECTED MUSLIM CANDIDATES THIS YEAR
Waseem Ahmad Bhat of Dooru, Brahmagam in Anantnag district in the Kashmir Valley proved that hard work pays off. He has secured seventh position in the Civil Services Examination this year. He is not the only Muslim in Jammu and Kashmir. Naved Ashan Bhat of Sopore has secured 84th rank this time. Apart from this, Manan Bhat of Soura, Srinagar has secured 231st rank, Mohammad Irfan of Thathar Bantalab, Jammu has secured 476th rank, Dr. Iram Chowdhary of Rajouri has secured 852nd rank. These candidates are an inspiration for other Muslim candidates.
CHANGES SINCE 2016
The increase in funding has been done under the Scheme of Assistance to Students Clearing the Preliminary Examination of UPSC, SSC and State Public Service Commissions. It is the result of the government’s efforts to support and empower minority candidates in the preparation for the examination. Before 2016, the Muslim community’s participation in successful candidates in the Civil Services Examination was up to 2.5 per cent, which has now increased to three per cent.
INSPIRED BY SHAH FAISAL
Kashmir’s Shah Faesal’s securing first rank in the Civil Services Examination in 2010 was one of the biggest boost and subsequent government initiatives to raise awareness among minority youth has resulted in successes of 13 candidates from Jammu and 3 from Kashmir this year. However, Faesal was not the first person to emerge from the valley and reach the pinnacle of success. In 1968, Muhammad Shafi Pandit became the first Kashmiri to become an IAS. He was followed by Iqbal Khande in 1978, Khurshid Ahmed Ghani in 1982 and Asghar Samoon in 1993.
