Rajasthan : Son of an auto driver, who defeated poverty and circumstances to become the youngest IAS

Some time ago there was news of 21-year-old boy becoming a judge in Rajasthan. Such news creates a question in the mind that how these children must have studied, which they could achieve such a position. Such is the story of the country’s youngest IAS officer, Ansar Sheikh.

Surprised everyone by clearing in the first attempt at the age of 21
Ansar Sheikh of Maharashtra surprised everyone by clearing the Civil Services (IAS) exam in the first attempt at the age of 21 in 2016. Ansar hails from a village in Marathwada, which has always been hit by drought. There was always a shortage of money in the family, but he did not leave his studies.

Father used to drive auto and there was so much poverty in the house that relatives even asked his family to leave his studies. For a moment, his family members also agreed, but stopped at the behest of Ansar’s teacher. Ansar also kept everyone’s hopes up and passed in 12th with 91% marks.

For Ansar, education was the way through which he could leave all the difficulties behind.
The journey till becoming an IAS was very difficult. There was no food in the house, the father remarried and the sisters were married at the age of 15. Fighting, fighting and quarreling, all this was part of Ansar’s daily routine. In such a situation, one cannot even think of studies, but for Ansar, studies were the way through which he could leave all the difficulties behind.

After school, Ansar reached Fergusson College in Pune and started studying Political Science. It was so difficult for his family to get his son to study that his brother, two years younger than him, started working and used to send all his monthly earnings to him.

Ansar got 50% discount for being good at studies
Apart from poverty, English was a big challenge for Ansar, but gradually he overcame it too. In the first year of college, teachers told about UPSC. Ansar did reach Tukaram Jadhav’s Unique Academy in Pune, but the fee for this course was Rs 70,000. It was impossible for Ansar to pay so much money. But, because of his integrity and good studies, he was given a 50% discount. All the children in this class were 20-30 years old and Ansar was only 19. From studies to photocopying of notes, Ansar started his studies with less money because he knew that he could not give up, he had to move forward with the help of studies.

There were many difficulties in the way of clearing this exam. But, he kept on moving forward. Sometimes he ate vada pav, sometimes asked for books from friends, but he did not back down. He would be mocked in class for asking ‘nonsense questions’, but he knew he was learning.

Prelims passed, but…
Eventually Ansar cleared the prelims. But, Mains and Interview were yet to come. While he was preparing for Mains, his sister’s husband died of drinking too much alcohol. After this the responsibility of handling the family fell on his shoulders, as both his father and brother were working. But, his sister supported him and asked him to study further. Later when the result of the examination came, he passed the examination.

Ansar said, “I am an Indian Muslim”
Ansar was asked a question by the interview panel, which he still remembers. A retired IAS officer asked him about Muslim youths involved in radical organisations. He was impressed by Ansar’s answers. In this interview he was asked whether he belonged to Shia sect or Sunni. Ansar got 199 marks out of 275 in this round. It is a big deal for someone to bring so many marks in the interview. Ansar Ahmed Sheikh is an inspiration to those whose circumstances prevent him from moving forward. Whose dreams get caught in the clouds of difficulties. Ansar’s life and his hard work is enough to tell that if you give your everything to studies, then life gets out of every difficulty.