Mohammad Akram / New Delhi

“Abbu always told me to keep trying as long as I can, and never give up. My parents supported and asked me to focus on my studies and not worry about other things. My Abbu and Ammi are my inspiration.”

Atif Waqar, one of the 50 Muslim candidates who cracked the Combined Civil Services examination held by the UPSC on his sixth attempt, said.

The focus on Muslim candidates is because of a perception that the community lags in social empowerment and needs to catch up with others.

This is the highest number of Muslims to clear this coveted examination in recent years.

Of these, 31 successful candidates have received their coaching at the Residential Coaching Academy (RCA) of the Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. This is an  8 percent increase in the success rate of RCA.

Atif Waqar speaking with Mohammad Akram

Atif Waqar also received his coaching from the RCA and secured 819th rank. He hails from Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, where his parents are government teachers.

Atif Waqar is currently posted as the Block Developmental Officer (BDO) in the Nawada district of Bihar.

Speaking to Awaz-the Voice, Atif Waqar said that residential coaching at Jamia Millia played an important role in his success.

“One gets ample motivation at the RCA. The coaching made us interested in clearing UPSC from the beginning. However, when I realized that I was not able to clear the examination, I started taking the State PCS exam and I got selected for Bihar Public Service Commission.”

I asked him why so many aspirants from Bihar, UP, and Jharkhand appear for the civil services examination of the UPSC.

Waqar said that there is a lack of industries in these two states and therefore fewer job opportunities for the youth. As they grow in this environment, they start working on securing government jobs of which the top job is of the civil servant.

“The same happened to me. When I saw my friends joining RCA I was motivated to do the same.”, he told Awaz-the Voice.

About his preparation for the examinations, Waqar said one has to work hard for it. “One always has to keep bookish knowledge in mind. It is necessary to read the same thing again and again, and also one has to take breaks in between, drink tea, play cricket, volleyball, carom, to keep mind light.’

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Waqar says that he lived in Jamia Milia Islamia’s hostel for 3 years in the RCA coaching. I did not get disheartened even after failing repeatedly. For me, Jamia is a big factor in my success