Yavatmal Town, MAHARASHTRA :

Adiba Aman in the centre.

New Delhi :

 The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) declared the results of the 2024 Civil Services Examination on April 22, with 1009 candidates clearing one of India’s most competitive exams. Among them, Adiba Anam has made history by becoming the first Muslim woman from Maharashtra to be selected for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).

Hailing from Kalam Chowk in Yavatmal, a small town in eastern Maharashtra, Anam secured an all-India rank of 142. Her achievement has been widely hailed as a breakthrough for both women and minorities in the state. Her father, Ashfaq Ahmed, earns a living by driving an auto-rickshaw.

Raised in modest circumstances, Anam completed her schooling in Urdu medium from a local Zilla Parishad school. Despite limited resources, she consistently excelled academically—scoring 94% in her Urdu board exams and 92% in 12th grade with a science stream.

Speaking to India Tomorrow, Anam recounted her journey through UPSC. Her first attempt in 2021 ended at the preliminary stage. Undeterred, she progressed to the mains in her second attempt, and finally, in her fourth attempt, clinched success with a rank likely to earn her an IAS cadre.

“My parents never asked me to give up on my education. There were people who suggested I take up a small job to ease our financial burden, but my parents never let those voices affect me,” she said.

Anam noted the social barriers women often face in her community. “Yes, girls do face restrictions. But these challenges only overpower us if we allow ourselves to feel weak. Once we build our mental strength, those obstacles lose their power,” she said. Her message to young women: “Stay mentally strong. Chase your dreams with courage and determination.”

Initially aspiring to become a doctor, Anam couldn’t clear the NEET exam. It was then that her uncle, Nizamuddin Sheikh—a local NGO secretary in Yavatmal—encouraged her to consider civil services as a way to serve the public.

Adiba Anam draws inspiration from the poetry of Allama Iqbal. Two couplets, in particular, fuel her determination:

“Khudi ko kar buland itna ke har taqdeer se pehle, Khuda bande se khud pooche, bata teri raza kya hai, ” meaning, “Elevate your selfhood to such heights that even destiny, before shaping your fate, is compelled to ask you: ‘Tell me, what is it that you desire?’”

This powerful verse emphasizes self-empowerment, urging individuals to strengthen their character and willpower to such an extent that even fate bows before their determination.

“Amal se zindagi banti hai jannat bhi jahannam bhi, Yeh khaaki apni fitrat mein na noori hai na naari hai.” This translates in English as “Through actions, life can become either a paradise or a hell. This being (the human) made of dust is by nature neither angelic nor demonic.”

The couplet underscores the idea that our actions determine the quality and direction of our lives. Human beings are not inherently good (like angels) or evil (like demons); it is their actions (amal) that shape their destiny and define their identity.

Explaining the two couplets, she said, “These lines remind me of the power of action. If you just sit still, nothing will change. But if you act, if you try to change your situation, something will definitely happen,” she said.

Anam’s journey—from a small-town Urdu-medium student to a future IAS officer—stands as a powerful story of resilience, ambition, and the transformative potential of education.

Here is the list of 26 Muslim candidates who cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination this year, with their ranks written in front of their names.

•             Iram Chaudhary – Rank 40

•             Farkhanda Quraishi – Rank 67

•             Mohammad Muneeb Bhatt – Rank 131

•             Adiba Anam Ashfaq Ahmed – Rank 142

•             Wasim ur Rehman – Rank 281

•             Md. Nayab Anjum – Rank 292

•             Mohammad Haris Mir – Rank 314

•             Mohammad Shaukat Azeem – Rank 345

•             Alifa Khan – Rank 417

•             Nadia Abdul Rashid – Rank 429

•             Najma Salam – Rank 442

•             Shakeel Ahmed – Rank 506

•             Shah Mohammad Imran Mohammad Irfan – Rank 553

•             Mohammad Aftab Alam – Rank 560

•             Mohsina Bano – Rank 585

•             Syed Mohammad Arif Moin – Rank 594

•             Ghulam Haider – Rank 633

•             Hasan Khan – Rank 643

•             Ghanchi Gajala Mohammad Hanif – Rank 660

•             Mohammad Salah T.A. – Rank 711

•             Sadaf Malik – Rank 742

•             Yasir Ahmed Bhatti – Rank 768

•             Javed Mev – Rank 815

•             Nazeer Ahmed Bijran – Rank 847

•             Arshad Aziz Quresh – Rank 993

•             Iqbal Ahmed – Rank 998

source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> Education / by Mohammad Akram / April 2025