Malick Asghar Hashmi /New Delhi

Former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi says this year’s decline in the number of successful Muslim candidates in the UPSC conducted Civil services examination is a normal phenomenon and should not be allowed to demoralize those preparing for the coveted examination.

“The performance of Muslims goes up some year and comes down some year. In such a situation, one should not give up; the diligence and hard work one has started with must continue,” he said.

Last year, 45 Muslims cleared the UPSC examination while the number this year is 29. The fact that the number of positions to be filled this year was also less should also be taken into consideration. 

Talking to Awaz-the Voice on the performance of Muslims in UPSC, SY Quraishi said that there is no need to make lose heart or be judgmental about the performance of Muslims in the examination. “Not many can succeed in the first attempt. If someone fails he works doubly hard to prepare for the examination. In the end, he succeeds. The example of Shubham Kumar (The topper of 2020) is quite fresh and for everyone to follow.”

He said that aspirants have 6 chances to sit in the UPSC examination and therefore one has time to prepare well.

Quraishi, IAS officer of the 1971 batch, is the first Muslim to be appointed as the Chief Election Commissioner of India, and based on his experience he has authored a book An Undocumented Wonder - the Making of the Great Indian Election. He has also authored a book on demographic myths The Population Myths.

He said there are scores of cases of candidates becoming successful after several attempts. Those who do not get a good rank, sit in the exam again with more preparation. “That's why I am saying again that there should never be any laxity in the preparations.”

Why is the number of successful candidates declining while more Muslim leaders are helping the community youth to prepare for the UPSC examination? What are the reasons for numbers not going up constantly in the final list?

Qureshi said that UPSC’s final intake changes each year and proportionately the selection of Muslims also is affected. He says the overall representation of Muslims in the civil services in percentage terms is improving. “This time also, about four percent of Muslims have been successful in UPSC,” he said.

However, he asked the Institutions coaching Muslim students that they must change their curriculum. There is also a need for society to encourage the institutions.

SY Quraishi also offered some tips to these institutes. He said these institutes should see to that if a candidate doesn’t succeed in UPSC, then his preparation can be useful in other prestigious competitive examinations. As he has worked hard, his preparations can be useful for becoming a class one officer in some other field.”The institutes have to keep the passion of the aspiring candidates on.”