Sultana Parveen/Purnia

Biasi-Bishari of the Seemanchal region of Bihar is one of the remotest villages that is visited by floods each year. The image of the fields and villages submerged under flood waters is the abiding picture of the village. In these circumstances, not many residents would traditionally think of educating their girls as they remained busy with their basic survival.

The success of two sisters - Sharbah Tarannum and Subi Masood – who hail from the village has changed the perception about this region and triggered hope for the future. Both the sisters have become the first ones to clear the prestigious Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examination in two consecutive years.

Sharbah Tarannum has cleared the 64th BPSC examination and Subi the recently held 65th edition recently. With this success, Sharbah will soon be serving as the Minority Welfare Officer and Subi Labour Enforcement Officer.

Sharbah Tarannum says her mother Hajra Parveen and father Masood Alam are a source of their inspiration and they led them on the path to success. The parents trusted their daughters, gave them a chance to get an education, and boosted their morale whenever the going got tough.

Today with the support of their parents, Sharbah and Subi have brought laurels to their village and the community.

Mohammad Masood Alam and Hajra Parveen say they believe in empowering their daughters with the gift of education. They provided opportunities for their daughters to study and grow.

Subi Masood

Sharbah has cleared the examination in her third attempt and Subi in her first.

Subhi Masood says that the foundation of her success was laid by her mother. Subi Masood has also cleared the engineering examination conducted by BPSC earlier.

Starting with the success of Sharbah in June, the year has been good for the Masood family. In July, came the news about Subi’s success in the engineering job examination held by the BPSC. Finally this month, the result of the 65th BPSC examination was announced.

Subhi says that her elder sister Sharbah had been a great help and a source of inspiration for her to crack this examination in the first attempt.

Sharbah and Subi come from the Kulhaiya community. Thus they have become the first women from this community to clear a prestigious examination. 

Their father Masood Alam lives in Naya Tola of Line Bazar in Purnia. 

He says that everyone should give their daughter a chance to study and grow. The government is also doing the same thing to educate the girl child. If girls are given chance they can get success in any examination, he said.

Sharbah who cleared the examination in her third attempt says one should not give up. You need to make continuous efforts to achieve your goal. She says that she is happy with her success and yet would like to clear higher-level examinations in the future.

Sharbah completed her matriculation from Ursline Convent School. After doing her post-graduation, she went to Patna and to Delhi to prepare for the BPSC.

Subi Masood passed her matriculation examination from the same school and her 12th from DAV Public School. She is an engineering graduate from Gaya College of Engineering. she had also cleared the civil engineering exam conducted by BPSC in his very first attempt.

Subi says she never joined coaching classes. “If you believe in yourself then there is no need for coaching,” she says.

Sharbah Tarannum

Sharbah Tarannum says she is happy to get an opportunity to do something for the minorities. Wherever she is posted she would work for the education of minority girls, give them opportunities to study and move forward.

She says that there is nothing more valuable than education. “Don't give wealth worth millions to your children, just educate them. They will make their way and generate wealth,” she said.

Sharbah also said besides the minority community, other people also need to understand this. She says the government can make schemes for all, but cannot take these to people’s homes. “People have to be aware. Only then he can give a better future to himself and his family and community.”

On the success of two sisters, Kulhaiya Development Authority Secretary Tanveer Mustafa says earlier the people of his area used to spend money on building houses and buying cars. But now they will surely spend on educating their children. “A positive change will be seen in the Muslim society towards education,” he said.