My IES Journey : From a backward village to All India 2nd Rank IES
By: Tanveer Ahmad Khan
SRINAGAR : “I always was a dreamer, one who could dream of things unimaginable to my surroundings but I used to keep them hidden within me. They used to guide me towards an end that was desirable but tough given the harsh circumstances that engulfed me from the very beginning. My educational journey started with Govt. Primary School Nigeenpora and then I went to Govt. High School Waltengoo Kund which was at that time suffering from lack of basic infrastructure.
Infrastructural bottlenecks were such grave that there were only two classrooms for 10 classes along with lack of basic amenities. However, that didn’t affect my determination and the awakening that was brought in me by my teachers which helped me to secure first position in 10th in 2010. After that I went to Govt. Higher Secondary School Razloo from which I completed my 12th Standard with Distinction.
These 12 years of education are crucial for every child and I spent them in schools that were grappling with a myriad of problems. That certainly had left a deep mark on me but that never deterred me from pursuing my will!
I joined GDC boys Anantnag from which I completed my BA in economics and during the same period we witnessed floods of 2014 that affected our studies to a significant extent. After that my target was to secure an admission in Kashmir University in Economics and fortunately, I got admitted to it with rank third. I went to Kashmir University with the expectation that I will engage myself in classrooms and get the maximum out of it but unfortunately due to 2016 unrest, our course work got impacted and we have to do the self-study to pass the first two semesters. That was really upsetting for me. But I decided to do something which was difficult if not impossible at that time. I appeared in the NET-JRF 2017 examination when I was in my third semester and I qualified this prestigious exam in the very first attempt. After that I went to Kolkata to do my M.Phil. in Development Studies from Institute of Development Studies, Kolkata. The degree was recently awarded to me. Therefore, it will not be inappropriate to say that my educational journey has been remarkable in the sense that it started with the govt schools with lack of infra and shortage of teachers and ended with quality institutions of the country.
I also come from a very humble background which has always limited my choice set but at the same time it has helped me to remain determined and focused on a path that I decided to tread upon. Once I decided to make economics my career choice, I never looked back. I wanted to do what the best can do in it and finally I managed to do it. When I started this journey there was no one with me except my family but later on as the journey went on, many well wishers came and helped me in the process. There were phases when I decided to quiet because the financial position of the family was spiraling into crisis but we as a family collectively supported each other emotionally and I managed to continue. I also approached many NGOs to help me and most of them have helped me to pursue my dream. I can’t thank them much. I know many students who are grappling with same issues and obstacles, but I wanted to show them a way out. I hope they will continue their hard work and remain focused on their goal.
When I decided to appear in the UPSC examination, I forgot about everything else and focused on the new project of qualifying this prestigious exam. There were distractions, demotivation’s but I never let my guard down. I worked and worked hard and final result was in my favor. I tried to draw inspiration from small things and that worked in my favour, tried to evaluate myself on continuous basis which helped me to improve myself. My father who works as an agri-labourer has taught me so much of what can be achieved with hardwork, determination and consistency. That ultimately has culminated in what you see today. It was always a dream to change the conditions of my family for a greater good, and that always was at the back of mind while preparing for it. Society at large had rejected me when I was struggling but that rejection not only made me strong but helped me to grasp the untraceable fragility of our society. We as a society should always support the needy and respect should not be conditional on how much money you have but how much humanity and compassion you inhabit.”
(Kashmir Despatch pays salute to the parents, teachers and family members who have contributed their bit in Mr. Tanveer Ahmad Khan’s hard earned success. KD editorial team is also thankful to Mr. Tanveer who despite his busy schedule found time for this write-up. We wish him good luck for all his professional endeavors in future.)
