Defying all odds, auto rickshaw driver’s son Ansar Ahmad cracks UPSC

Defying all odds, including religious discrimination that forced him to adopt a Hindu identity, a 21-year old Muslim boy from Maharashtra has cracked the prestigious UPSC examinations. He hails from the Shelgaon village in Jalna district in the heart of drought-hit Marathwada. Completing his schooling from Jalna district school, Shaikh is a B.A. in political science scoring 73 percent in 2015 from Fergusson College, Pune. He opted for the same subject for UPSC to crack it at first go, securing 361st rank in the national list as country’s youngest IAS officer. Ironically, when Shaikh came to join Fergusson College, he was compelled to change his surname to a more acceptable “Shubham” to get accommodation and food without hassles Belonging to a disturbed family, he said his father Ahmad drives an auto rickshaw.

However, braving all challenges and with the support of his brother and mother, the perpetual topper during most of his academic carreer doggedly devoted 13 hours daily to study and crack the UPSC exams at first shot.