Encouraging performance of Muslim candidates in UPSC
Ajaz ul Haq
The Muslims candidates have manifested yet another milestone in the UPSC examination 2019_20 in which a total of 42 candidates from the community have been declared successful as compared to 28 in the previous year. In terms of percentage, the successful Muslim candidates constitute about 5 per cent of the total who have cleared the examination. Since 2016, the community has increased its representation in the prestigious exams.50 Muslims candidates had cleared the examination in the year 2016, which was a record in itself. The encouraging performance is an indication of a shift in the outlook of the Muslims community, which has of late shown more interest in the civil services. Sachar committee report (2006), which had documented the poor representation of Muslims in govt. Jobs and top bureaucratic posts seem to have changed the narrative and have encouraged more number of Muslim youths towards govt. Jobs. Several coaching centres, which have come up across the country to provide free or subsidized coaching exclusively to Muslim candidates have eventually yielded result.
While there has been a remarkable change in the attitude of the bright Muslim youths, more such performance in the years to come will help in building India as a great nation. The Muslims of India who are more than 15% of the total population need to enhance their efforts three times more to bring the proportionate representation in various competitions in which they have to face their counterparts from other community. The Muslim intellectuals including the bureaucrats should come forward to guide and motivate the youths of the community in their endeavour
