"You need not be an bright student from childhood to crack competitive exams"
An interview with Mushahid A Sheikh, the first from Bhatkal to crack PSI examination
Bhatkal a Muslim dominated coastal town in Karnataka has been in the media for all the wrong reasons since the early 90s. The local organisations and leaders have been trying to persuade the youth in the Community to choose Civil Services.
Traditionally business and trade have been the preference of the youth of the Nawayath community. Very few among them have ever shown any interest any job or employment as their career. As an effort to address this imbalance and reverse this trend, several local organisations have lately organised programs and workshops for educational and career guidance and orientation for the youth. They are very happy with the recent success of Mushahid, one of their young members in clearing Karnataka PSI examination. Mushahid, a B.Tech graduate in a Architecture has made them proud by scoring a position in the top 50 ranks in the examination. He was given quite a jubilant reception when he visited his home town recently. Several organisations and institutions were eager honour and have felicitate him. Many schools and colleges have invited him to talk to their students and motivate them.
Mushahid was born in Bhatkal in 1992. He completed his primary schooling at Shams and Anand Ashram Convent Schools in Bhatkal. He was an average student with no outstanding credentials. It was during his days in the High School that he started scoring good marks. Completed his PUC at St. Aloysius College Mangalore and later graduated in Architecture (B. Tech) from MS Ramaiah College in Bangalore. He began his preparations from civil services examination from ACE IAS Academy in Mangaluru and cracked the examination with flying colours in 2019.
Excerpts:
Coming from a community (Nawayath) where predominantly business and trade are preferredover everything else as a career, what motivated you to go to the Police Department?
Yes, the Nawayath community has always been into business and trade. But I have a different background. My father had served in the Army for about five years. That was my biggest motivation. I used to see his pictures in uniform during my childhood and they were quite fascinating. So basically I had it in the back of my mind from a very early age. But my moment of realization came when I was interning in Bengaluru after getting my graduation. That’s when I took a U-turn from Architecture and decided to make civil and uniformed services are my destination.
Going back to Bhatkal, the town has been in media for some wrong reasons. You ever thought of preferring to call yourself a person from Valki and not from Bhatkal?
Sometimes. But it never bothered me really. Though my father is from Valki but my birth, schooling and everything was done in Bhatkal. People at times have stereotypical views about Bhatkal but not all the people are of that mindset. Some will not judge you.
So you don’t have any problem being called a person from Bhatkal?
Absolutely not.
Who and what has been your greatest strength throughout this journey?
My family. They have struggled hard to support me. Whether it was me travelling late at nights, catching trains, preparing foods for me and everything else. They made sure I remain in good mental and physical shape throughout. Apart from that my own passion that I had to do it, was also helpful and kept the light burning in my mind.
How easy or difficult do you think is cracking competitive exams like PSI and others with such good numbers?
Every exam has its own challenges. They have their own set of challenges and requirements. Secondly, the competition has gone up significantly. In almost all such exams around one lakh people will apply, of which about 40 thousand will clear physical tests and appear for exam. At the end only about 200 candidates manage to make it through. So the odds are against you, you can miss out on 0.1 marks. To crack any competitive exam, I believe at least 2-3 years of struggle is must.
What is your success mantra? How did you manage to not only crack the exam but also get a place in top-50 ranks under such competition?
I started with preparation for UPSC and then appeared for PSI exams. Revision and time management are the only skills that can help you. Otherwise the knowledge of all the candidates appearing for the exam will be the same. It is the revision that makes the difference.
How do you think or want to serve the society as a police officer?
I would rather put it like helping the people instead of serving the society. My belief is I should make people able and capable. If you can only enable them themselves, they will help themselves. Police is the first point of communication between people and government whenever something happens. So the police service is something that helps you work closely with public, that’s why I preferred to choose police department.
Any plans to appear for any other competitive exams like UPSC?
Yes definitely. I will always want to work for the people and society. So yes, I will try and do it from every better position that I can reach. And if I think I am ready and qualified for anything bigger and better than this, I will go for it.
What will you advise a high school student who aims to join uniform or civil services?
See, schooling is a crucial part but that is not where everything about your future is decided. I as a primary student had failed in one subject once. So it’s not that if you are an average student you cannot crack competitive exams. You need not be a bright student throughout. There is nothing to worry, just wait for your calling in whatever your passion is. If you give your best you will surely get through. More importantly be satisfied and content with what you are doing.
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Boat carrying 250 people, including Rohingya and Bangladeshis, sinks in Andaman Sea
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Dhaka (AP): At least 250 people, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals, were missing after a boat capsized in the Andaman Sea recently on the way to Malaysia, according to the United Nations' refugee and migration agencies.
When the boat sank and the status of any search Wednesday were unclear.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organisation for Migration in a joint statement said Tuesday that the trawler departed from Teknaf in the southern Bangladeshi district of Cox's Bazar carrying a large number of passengers to Malaysia.
Overcrowding, strong winds and rough seas caused the vessel to lose control and sink, the agencies said.
UNHCR and IOM said the disappearance reflected the protracted displacement of Rohingya people and the absence of durable solutions.
They said ongoing violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state has made the Rohingyas' safe return to Myanmar uncertain, and limited humanitarian assistance, restricted access to education and employment in refugee camps, continue to push vulnerable Rohingya refugees to choose risky sea journeys, often based on false promises of higher wages and better opportunities abroad.
UNHCR and IOM urged the international community to strengthen funding and solidarity to ensure lifesaving assistance for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, which has sheltered more than 1 million Rohingya from Myanmar.
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