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Decline of Muslim candidates in civil services: not a single in the first 100

Picture used for representational purposes


A total of 685 candidates cleared the UPSC exam, of whom only 25 are Muslim—the least number of candidates from the community to have cleared the prestigious exam in a decade. 

Washique Atique | TwoCircles.net 

NEW DELHI — Last month, the Union Public Service Commission announced the results of the Civil Services Exam (CSE) 2021. A total of 685 candidates have cleared the exam, of whom only 25 are Muslim—the least number of candidates from the community to have cleared the prestigious exam in a decade. 

In 2021, 31 Muslim candidates cleared the exam.

The years 2016 and 2017 saw an uptick in Muslim candidates clearing the exam. In 2016, for the first time in history, 50 Muslims were selected through the UPSC, with 10 making it to the top 100.

Areeba Nomaan, who was the top Muslim candidate this year, could not pass the UPSC in the last three attempts. She said she was supported by the residential coaching academy (RCA) Jamia.

Professor Mohammed Saleem, vice president, of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind in a statement said that it was disappointing that only three percent of Mulsim candidates qualified this year.

He said the illiteracy rate of Muslims was higher than the national rate among all communities which is about 42.7 percent. “Compared to all other communities, Muslims have the highest dropout rates at the primary, middle and senior secondary levels. That’s why we have to work harder.”

While a lot of effort is being made. Syed Hassanul Haque, a Muslim activist, told TwoCircles.net that it was a matter of concern that not a single Muslim candidate has made it to the top 100. “That just tells us that we have to keep making the effort,” he said. 

As per the Sachar Committee report, Muslim employment in either sector is the lowest among all communities’ participation, not only in employment in general but also in the government service. Muslims have 3% representation in civil services, 4.5% in Indian Railways, only 6% in police constables, 4.4 % in health and 7.8 % in the judiciary.

Haque said in the past few years, various coaching institutes and organizations have come up across India to help in preparation that provides free or subsidised coaching exclusively for Muslim candidates, like Aaghaz foundation, Hamdard Study Circle etc. “We have to study hard, the result will be better,” he said. 

Haque said that the government should provide hostel facilities at a reasonable cost for the minority students, and provide financial and other support to initiatives built around occupations where Muslims are concentrated and that have growth potential.

Washique Atique in an intern with TwoCircles.net. He tweets at @khanwasique1