Rising above hardships to become India’s youngest IAS officer: UPSC success story of Ansar Shaikh
IAS success story: Here’s how Ansar Shaikh arose from a tough childhood witnessing alcoholism and domestic unrest to inspire for millions.
It is not easy to crack the UPSC Civil Services exam, one of India’s most prestigious and toughest entrances. Then how can we describe clearing it at just 21 years of age and becoming the youngest IAS officer in the country’s history with sheer ambition in the face of lack of resources and domestic turmoil? Here’s how Ansar Shaikh arose from a tough childhood witnessing alcoholism and domestic unrest to become an inspiration for millions.
Ansar Shaikh belongs to the Marathwada region of Maharashtra where he grew up in the drought-stricken Shelgaon village in Jalna district. His father, who drove an autorickshaw, struggled with alcoholism which resulted in a hard life that lacked resources for Shaikh and his siblings. His mother, a farm labourer, was his father’s second wife.
In early childhood, he reportedly witnessed alcoholism and domestic violence in close proximity. Education of the children was not a priority in his family. His sisters were married off as 15-year-olds. His brother dropped out of school and join a mechanic shop to support the family as the younger one, helping Ansar reach the remarkable heights.
A graduate in political science from Fergusson College of Pune, Ansar had once revealed facing discrimination while looking for PG accommodation. Unable to get accommodation, he had to change his name. "I had said that my name was Shubham, which was actually my friend’s name. Now I don’t have to hide my real name,” Shaikh had said as per a The Indian Express back in 2016.
Undeterred by the hardships and into which he was born, a 21-year-old Ansar Shaikh prepared hard for UPSC studying almost 10-12 hours for a period of 3 years. He cracked the exam in 2016 with a score of 199 out of 275, All-India Rank of 361 in his first attempt itself.
Ansar Shaikh tells UPSC aspirants that they should question themselves as to why they want to be in the system. IAS aspirants who compete with lakhs of others giving the exam are choosing the incorrect direction. “Your only competition is you. So, get rid of all of your pessimistic thoughts and success will come your way,” Shaikh was quoted by The Better India. He also states that poverty doesn’t have a correlation with success. Hard work and determination towards the goal is the only thing that matters, not the background of the aspirant.
Pics Courtesy: Instagram screengrab/ Ansar Shaikh @i_am_ansarshaikh
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