Interview with Mashhoodur Rahman Farooqui

When you realized that you should go for civil services?
Even while studying in school I wanted to go for civil services. But I seriously thought about it only after completing Mass Communication. After Mass Communication degree from Jamia Millia Islamia I tried to bag some good offers in media houses, but gave up after a while when realized that I may not find a job of my liking. It was only after that job hunt when I decided that I should go for Civil Services and I started preparation for that. This was my third attempt.

Why the number of Muslims students is very low in Civil services?
The main reason is that very few Muslim students sit for IAS. Most of the Muslim students want to go for medicine and engineering fields. If you see the number of Muslims students who appear in IAS exam and the number of those who were selected you will realize that the ratio is justified.

Muslims Students think that civil services is a tough nut to crack. But it is not so. If you work hard in a planned way you will certainly succeeded. Most of the Muslim students directly want a job just after completing graduation. If they give civil services a serious try they will surely succeed.{mospagebreak}

How much time you gave daily while preparing for IAS? And how much a student should study to prepare for Civil services.
I studied about seven hours daily. There are very few students who study on regular basis. Most of the students read only at the time of exams. This is not correct. If a student wants to prepare for competitive examinations like civil services he should study on regular basis. If one studies regularly it will be enough to study five to six hours daily. But remember it should be on regular basis.

What you will suggest for students who want to go for civil services?
First thing is that you should know your weaknesses and strengths. Students should think that though this is a tough exam but it is not impossible. They should not bother after failure. One should try again and again. The UPSC gives four chances to clear the Civil services. One should use all these four attempts. I will suggest the students to choose the subject after long and serious thinking. I will suggest the students to keep Urdu as a language as well as a medium too.

It will increase the chances of selection. Book of NCRET should be read thoroughly. Most of the question come from NCERT books. Most important thing is that a student should know every thing related to human life. It is not good to know only about course. Your general knowledge (GK) should be good and important thing are that reading about something out of course should be started in early stage of Education.

Muslims are educationally backward. How do you think that we can improve the condition?
Muslim should realize that education is very important for overall development of any community. One should spend more on education than on other things. No doubt business is very good but it will give more profit if it will be done after completing education. Many Muslim parents want that their children should earn as soon as possible. This is not a right thinking.

Students from Madrasa background have a tendency of hard labor. Don’t you think that if they try for Civil services the chances of selection will be higher?
Exactly. But it will not be achieved only by hard labor. Personality plays very important role in civil services. In Civil services personality test is of 300 marks. In this test you have to face those people who are in civil cervices for 20 to 30 years. They ask different questions to test your personality.{mospagebreak}

Hamdard Study Circle is playing an important role in the coaching for Civil services particularly for Muslim students. Don’t you think this type of coaching centres should also be opened in other cities too?
Yes, Now a few other Muslim Organizations have also started similar centres. This is a very good attempt. This type of coaching centres should be established in all major cities of India. This type of coaching centre should not only give attention on building or library it should hire good teachers of different subjects too. The coaching facilities at these centres should be par excellence.

Does family background plays any role in success of any students in competitive examinations like civil services?
Yes. The support of family members is very crucial for success. Their support is necessary. If you do not get support from your family members you can not compete in these types of tough exams. My uncle was a civil Servant. My father wanted my elder brother to go for civil services but he could not go. Alhamdulillah I have done it with the blessing of my family.