Sheikh Muhammad Yunus/Hyderabad

Mohammad Ashfaq of Tandoor, a small town in Telangana, who cleared the Civil Services examination 2023 on his fourth attempt gives credit to his family, especially his mother, for his achievement.

Muhammad Ashfaq said that his mother realized the importance of education and despite he being the only child sent him to Delhi to do his graduation and post-graduation studies. “For my bright future, my mother looked alone after the family and never bothered me with problems at home.”

A sensitive soul, Muhammad Ashfaq gives full credit for his success to his parents.

Speaking with Awaz-The Voice, Mohammad Ashfaq attributed his success to his parents and elder sister. He said that his father dreamed that his son would become a civil servant. “At every stage of my life, my father not only encouraged me but also instilled determination to reach the goal in me. His words motivated and made me determined to clear the examination.”

Mohammad Ashfaq said at the time he thought of picking a corporate job but his father reminded me of my dream and goal. “I can never forget the role my parents and elder sister played in my educational journey,” he said.

Muhammad Ashfaq was a bright child from the beginning. He passed his SSC from Janapriya High School and completed his graduation in Economics from Shri Ram College of Commerce, New Delhi in 2020. Two years later he completed his master's in Economics from Delhi School of Economics. 

Mohammad Ashfaq with his parents posing in front of the UPSC office in New Delhi

He joined coaching for the civil services from his intermediate class. He wrote his first civil services exam in the year 2020, soon after completing his graduation. 

He did not succeed. It was the same in his next two examinations. Failures did not deter him; he continued to pursue his dream with renewed determination and courage. 

Muhammad Ashfaq is a native of Gotla Palli Mauza of Padamul mandal of Tandoor. Currently, he resides in Hafeezpet, Hyderabad. His father Mohammad Jafar has an engineering works company at BHEL Ashoknagar. Mother Rizwana Begum is a homemaker. 

Mohammad Ashfaq's elder sister Uzma Sultana is a dentist. His father Mohammad Jafar dreamt of his children having good careers and he is the happiest man today. 

Mohammad Jafar moved to Hyderabad in 1992 from Tandoor and started working as a scooter mechanic for a small salary. Later he established his engineering works company.

Ahmed Ashfaq's grandfather Abdul Razzaq and Grandmother Syedan B live in their ancestral village. They were overjoyed at Nabirah's success in the civil services examination and celebrated it by distributing sweets among the villagers.

Muhammad Ashfaq is thus the epitome of a never-give-up spirit. His story tells the youth never to be a victim of despair hopelessness or failure. 

He said that instead of being discouraged by failures, one should get motivated and try to move forward by addressing one’s shortcomings. He said that hard work never goes in vain. 

Muhammad Ashfaq said that as a civil servant, he will focus on the development of the country, service to the people as well as the elimination of corruption. He said that corruption has become a problem in the administration today. They know that they cannot eradicate corruption alone, but they will try their best to eradicate corruption with the cooperation of all honest officials. He said that he would try his best to bring the administration to the doorstep of the people.

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Muhammad Ashfaq said that although he has achieved success in civil services, he may get a job in IPS or IRS depending on his rank, but his aim is IAS and he will write the exam again for it.