I feel empowered

Dr Ruveda Salam recently cracked UPSC exam and became became the first Muslim woman from the Kashmir valley to pass this exam.




In an interview she talks to Tahir syeed


Tell us about yourself?
I am Dr Ruveda Salam from village ferken, kupwara.I have done my schooling from MallionsonGirls School & MBBS from GMC sgr in 2009.I am presently posted as functional manager (KAS Officer) in Deptt. of Industries & Commerce , J&K Govt.

How you got the inspirations for civil services and finally qualified it?
My father Mr. Salam ud din Bajad, who is a former Deputy Director General , Doordarshan, has always been my inspiration despite coming from a humble background & serving his organization with absolute integrity. Credit also goes to Mr. Abdul Ghani Mir (IGP ) & Dr Shah Faesal for being my inspiration

Whom do you credit for your success?
Almighty Allah, parents, teachers & all those successful people from J&K & elsewhere who have made it big in life despite all odds. My hard work has flown from such inspiration.
What was your study schedule?
I went about it for almost one year before prelims. It was tough to balance my present job requirements with my preparation for IAS.I would study for 4 to 6 hours each day with full concentration & I gradually increased the hours after prelims to 8 to 9

What is your secret for the success?
Belief in God , conviction, discipline which included sacrificing my social engagements for a short period & utmost humility during my preparations.

Do you think the caching plays vital role for such exams?
Many gullible aspirants are taken for a ride by money mi ting coaching institutes. It’s important to first check their credentials through the ones who have already qualified Civil services after having been taught by them. An aspirant has to decide himself whether he requires it or not based on his own capabilities & requirements.

Will you prefer to serve JK?
Definitely, if given a chance I would like to serve the people of my own state. Irrespective of that I have a cosmopolitan outlook & I am prepared to serve anywhere in India or outside.

Do u think the journals are utmost important to keep yourself updated and the same helps a lot .?
I would consider them more important than syllabi related text books because of their updated info & wide coverage of topics. Civil Services demands such knowledge.


Which News Paper and Journals have you been reading for the general studies and other subjects?
The Hindu has been my best guide during this journey as I have not taken any coaching. Greater Kashmir, especially it's editorials, helped me immensely in my personality test as most of the questions were asked to me by the panel related to my state. I remember having put forth my opinion on the erstwhile music band Pragaash based on an editorial in GK. Monthly Chronicle magazine & yojana helped me to improve my optionals besides newspapers.

As a girl how do you see yourself as an officer?
I feel empowered as there is very less representation of women in positions of authority. Gender balance is vital for safety & welfare of women.
> What were optional subjects and what made you to chose the same?
>Public Administration & Sociology. I wanted to learn something new after having studied medicine & my interest guided me in this.

What according to should be the priority while choosing the subjects for
the civil services exams?
One's interest & it's overall similarities with general studies which in turn helps save time. Also ones' subjects In graduation or postgraduation can be a deciding factor in choosing optionals but expertise & comfort levels should be factored in.

What about the personality test and what would be your advice for it.?
One can improve his personality during the preparation itself. Our shortcomings can be minimized through proper usage of language while answering questions & being honest about oneself. Even if one is not well aware of events at the national & international levels, one's biodata which also includes questions from his/her district & home state , is the most probable area from which questions are asked.
How you prepared for civil service examinations?
My preparation was structured in terms of study material, time management & exclusion of irrelevant facts. Newspapers, journals, NCERT books, IGNOU material & Official websites besides wikipedia helped me. I made good use of Facebook by joining IAS related study groups for facts & discussions. I was blessed to have been guided by previous IAS qualifiers especially Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary.

What will be the your message for IAS aspirants?
Faith in God, dedication, disciplining one's self & at least trying to stick to the planned strategy on an everyday basis will make you realize your dreams. Each hurdle requires your best efforts & you should be more than will to give it if you want to set an example for others through your success.