Former madrasa teacher cracks UPSC exam, says madrasas can contribute civil servants
Thiruvananthapuram: A former madrasa teacher from Kerala, who never had opportunity to attend a mainstream school, has proved that tenacity eventually triumphs. 28-year-old T Shahid, a native of Thiruvallur village in Kozhikode district, has cracked the UPSC examination in his sixth attempt and ranked 693.
The civil services exam, Shahid said, was a way to tell the society that madrasas are not a breeding ground of terrorism. “There may be stray issues or controversies, but madrasas in Kerala can contribute civil servants also,’’ he said.
Son of madrasa teacher Abdul Rahman Musaliyar and homemaker Sulekha, Shahid said he was forced to opt for a Muslim religious educational institution, run by an orphanage at Kappad in Kozhikode, due to financial crunch.
After 12 years of religious education, Shahid bagged the religious ‘hasni’ degree, a course which equipped him to become a madrasa teacher. While studying for hasni, he completed Class X and Class XII, and finally got a degree in English — all through distance courses.
Shahid said, his perspective towards life changed when he worked at the Malayalam daily Chandrika, managed by the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). “Working as a journalist made me look at the world outside,” Shahid told.
Shahid opted Malayalam literature as an optional subject in UPSC. He said the coaching classes in Delhi, sponsored by IUML’s students’ wing MSF, helped him in cracking UPSC exam.
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FIR to be filed against BJP Min. Vijay Shah over remarks on Colonel Sophia Qureshi: G Parameshwara
Bengaluru: Karnataka’s Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara on Thursday said that an FIR will be registered against Madhya Pradesh BJP Minister Vijay Shah for his alleged controversial remarks about Colonel Sophia Qureshi. He also stated that legal proceedings will be reviewed in this regard.
Speaking to reporters in the city on Thursday, he said, “Colonel Sophia Qureshi is the daughter-in-law of Belagavi. I have instructed the Belagavi SP to lodge an FIR against the minister who made controversial statements about Colonel Sophia Qureshi and inform the central government about the action to be taken against him.”
Expressing displeasure over the Minister’s remarks, Parameshwara noted that the BJP leader's statement is not just an insult to Colonel Qureshi, and that it is an insult to the entire country. He said, no one should harbour such a narrow-minded outlook.
Also addressing the issue of pending funds from the union government, Parameshwara said, “However, due to various reasons, the funds have either been delayed or withheld. The Chief Minister has convened a meeting on the matter and has urged state MPs to press the central government for the immediate release of the funds.”
He also announced that the state government will be organizing a large-scale event on May 20 in Hospet, Vijayanagar district. “In this government programme, the Revenue Department will distribute property certificates to over 50,000 beneficiaries. The event will be attended by Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi, Rajya Sabha Opposition Leader and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, and senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala,” he added.
