By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net
New Delhi: With an aim to increase the percentage of Muslims in civil services in India, which is just 2.5% today while the community constitutes 13.5% of the country’s population, the Zakat Foundation of India has decided to financially support the talented Muslim graduates from across the country so that they could get top class coaching for civil services examinations.
The Foundation will hold an all-India test and interview for the aspirants on May 19 in New Delhi. Similar test will be held on May 10 in Srinagar for candidates from J&K. The successful candidates will be helped in getting admission at successful civil services coaching centres in New Delhi. The financially needy candidates will be helped in accommodation also in the capital, says the Foundation.
Dr Syed Zafar Mahmood has recently visited several metro cities including Hyderabad, Calicut and Lucknow besides Srinagar to inspire Muslim graduates to opt for civil services.
Addressing the concluding program after his visits in Delhi today, Mahmood said that according to Sachar Committee report Muslims are lagging behind all communities in every field. To improve the condition, it is necessary for the community to increase its presence in administration, he said. For that the new generation will have to face civil services examinations in good number.
Giving details about the program, Dr Zafar Mahmood told TwoCircles.net that he “started the program in 2007 when Foundation selected 16 students. Of them 8 cleared preliminary, and of them four have cleared the mains and have appeared for interview also. They are waiting for the results. In 2008, the Foundation took 23 students.” The ongoing process is for the 2009 batch.
“Their complaint against political parties (for backwardness of the community) is right but for their low presence in civil services they are themselves to blame. Muslim students are not giving priority to civil services examinations,” he said.
To register online for the entrance exam by the Foundation candidates can visit its website.
www.zakatindia.org