By TCN News
New Delhi: Of the total 1,078 successful candidates in the final list of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations, only 36 Muslims could make it to this year’s result, with Athar Aamir Ul Shafi Khan bagging the second rank. The number of Muslim candidates is almost the same as last few years.
In 2015, 38 Muslims had cleared the exams, while the number stood at 30 in 2013 and 34 in 2014.
Although Khan, a resident of Bijbehara South Kashmir, bagged the second rank, he is the only Muslim in the top 100, with the next person being Mohammed Ikramullah Sharriff at 111. Fourteen Muslims feature in the Top 500.
The selected UPSC candidates are recommended for various government posts which include Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and several other allied services.
Although Muslims comprise 13.4% of total population, they are dismally represented in the top government services, often due to lack of education and unavailability of resources. They are roughly 2% in the civil services.
Editor’s note: The story has been updated after it was brought to our notice that three more Muslim candidates have cleared the exams. Their names and ranks are: Dr Ibson Shah I (575), Arish Bilal (639) and Dr Bilawal Shafeeq Choudhary (1,019).