New Delhi

This is the success story of a Muslim cleric's daughter who cleared the coveted the Indian Civil Services examinations held by the UPSC in her first attempt and without coaching. Her achievement is remarkable given the limited resources available to a Maulana.

Abir Asad's name figured at the supplementary list of candidates who appeared in the Civil services examinations held in 2023, released by the UPSC recently. She has cleared it through self study and thus become an example of hard work, dedication, passion, and a visionary for the Indian youth.

From schooling to graduation, Abir passed all her examinations with high grades and distinction. She scored 92.8 percent marks in 10th, 97.5 in 12th, and graduated in Economics from Delhi University's Hansraj College with distinction.

Abir's name figures at position 35 in the list of remaining 120 candidates in the reserved category which was released by the UPSC recently. A release of the UPSC said, that 1016 candidates were declared successful in the Civil Services Examination, 2023 on April 16, 2024, in order of merit against 1143 vacancies.

Two days ago, the UPSC released a Consolidated Reserve List in order of merit which will be below the earlier list in respective categories.

The UPSC List with Abir Asad's name

"As sought by the Department of Personnel & Training, the Commission has now recommended 120 candidates which include 88 General, 05 EWS, 23 OBC, 03 SC, and 01 ST, to fill up the remaining posts based on the Civil Services Examination, 2023. The candidates, so recommended, will be intimated directly by the DOP&T."

Abir Asad would soon head to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, for training.

Abir has given the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) as her first choice, the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) as second and the Indian Railway Management Service as the third one. The allocation is done somewhere during the training and is also based on the vacancies available in the government departments.

Recently, the final list of 120 candidates was released by the UPSC, in which Abir Asad is ranked 35th.

Abir Asad's brother Muhammad Basil is a software engineer, and mother is a homemaker. Her ancestry is from the well-known Kirthi Jafar of the Mayo district.

Abir Asad worked hard for one year. She studied eight to nine hours on normal days and added more hours close to the examination.

Abir credits her parents for teaching her the wages of hard work, explaining the importance of studies, and encouraging her at every step of her life.

"This formula that never lets children lose their spirit," she said.

Abir said that if girls are given the freedom to read and write, encouraged, and provided equal opportunities there is no reason why Muslim girls should not do well in life.

She told the Muslim youth that instead of wandering around the neighborhood and wasting their time, they must focus on studying and writing.

Abir Asad's father Maulana Muhammad Asad Al-Qasimi Al-Azmi said that he gave Abir the freedom to read and write and pursue her dreams.

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He appealed to the Muslims to give their children the freedom to read and write and take care of their choice in which field they want to study further. He said that only education can change the fate of a Quom (Muslims).