Known for his humility and brilliance, a youth from Sopore made a hat-trick in civil services. As his departure from academic to administrative setup begins, Riyaz Ul Khaliq & Saima Rashid profile the journey of the man so far
He wasn’t a boy next door. There was something special about him since his school days. When it comes to studies, he would always emerge as the first among the equals. Much to his own ignorance, he was already an inspiration for his batchmates and juniors. He would always finish at top in debates, essay competitions and others school activities. Now out of school, the boy has grown up into a young man. But he continues to impress people with his brilliance. He cracked the civil service exams thrice in his last three consecutive appearances.
Bashir Ahmad Bhat, 25, hailing Batpora Sopore is presently posted as First Class Magistrate Sogam, in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
After topping class 12 from Sainik School Manasbal in 2005 under Central Board of School Education, he got selected for Bachelors in Veterinary Sciences from a Jammu college. While he was studying veterinary sciences, Bashir was simultaneously preparing for civil services. And as his degree completed in August 2010, he appeared in Kashmir Administrative Services (KAS) examination in 2011 and then in he appeared in IAS in 2012. He made to it in both attempts.
“My back to back achievements are the outcome of my hard work,” Bashir says, in his soft tone. “And, I never took any coaching or so.”
Bashir, his teachers say, has been a very hard working and obedient student. “We have no words to describe Bashir,” says Abdul Hamid, who taught Bashir Sainik School Manasbal. “He has been a gem. His success is what he has been!”
Coming from a modest family, Bashir’s journey, so far, has been inspiring. His father is a shopkeeper in his own locality at Batpora, in apple town Sopore.
Since he joined his veterinary course, Bashir had made it sure to get through the civil services examination in the very first go. And eventually the time came when he got selected in state level administrative services. After his training and probation at J&K IMPA in Srinagar, Bashir was sent to frontier district Kupwara and posted as Tehsildar Sogam – the post he still occupies. But the thirst of doing something more did not let him rest.
“In 2011, I got selected in Indian Administrative Services (IAS) with 432 rank but I did not left my KAS posting,” he informs.
His colleagues in his office describe him the most efficient official they have ever seen. “You won’t see him sitting idle in his office,” one of his sub ordinates said. “Completion of cases on fast track basis is his mantra.”
And then in 2013, he again appeared in IAS. And the recent results declared him successful at rank number 189, bettered his previous rank by the margin of 243 higher slots.
“Yet I have no thoughts like joining it, but when services will be allotted only then I will decide whether to join or not,” Bashir says.
Till recently, Bashir was facing financial hiccups, but now the scenario of his life has completely changed. But he says, he is still the same person. One of his friends who attended boarding with him in picturesque Manasbal says there is not an iota of doubt of his intelligence. “But what makes him different from others is his grounded character,” says Tasveer Ahmad, his erstwhile classmate and now a Economics contractual lecturer in Kashmir’s Central University.
Bashir and his younger brother Imtiyaz Ahmad had their same schooling up to twelfth then Imtiyaz left for mainland India. “Both of them were toppers. In fact, they used to share top positions many times,” Tasveer added. Imtiyaz is PG Economics from JNU and preparing for PhD.
Bashir advises the youngsters who want to join civil services to work hard as there is no substitute to it. Just possessing dozens of administrative books doesn’t really make it up, but the consistent revision actually takes you to the roots of success, he advises.
“It is not only to proclaim that one is going to be an administrative officer, you have to prove it,” says Bashir.
Bashir owes his success to his parents. “You can’t expect miracles if your parents don’t support you,” he exclaims. “They should be ones back force even if monetary hiccups are there.”
Besides, Dr Bashir is all praise for his Alma meter days. “I had my golden period of life at Sainik School though we faced some problems at an earlier stage,” he said. “I had my vision broadened there.”
