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High On Confidence

Himachal prodigy pursues childhood dream of becoming an IAS officer

High On Confidence
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She did not allow herself any other option. 바카라œIf I do a job, it has to be as a civil servant. Nothing less than an IAS officer, I told herself when I was still in school,바카라 recalls Muskan Jindal, a small-town girl from Himachal Pradesh who achieved the 87th rank in the UPSC exam. 바카라œI was sure I will crack UPSC. That it바카라™s going to happen as early as at the age of 22 and in my first attempt바카라”this only god knew. I just followed my childhood dream.바카라

Born in a modest business family at Baddi in Himachal Pradesh바카라™s industrial belt, Muskan proudly declares that behind her success are 바카라œtwo gentlemen바카라”my 72-year-old grandfather Sadhu Ram Jindal and my father Pawan Jindal바카라. 바카라œIf someone asks me to name my role model, there is no third name,바카라 she adds. Having lived in a joint family, she says: 바카라œAnyone can come and take a lesson on how happily the children바카라”total nine in our family바카라”live their dreams. The joint family system taught me values, which are going to guide me in discharging my duties impartially as a civil servant.바카라

What adds to her credit, Muskan says, is that she achieved the feat simply through self-study with a focussed approach and a resolve as strong as climbing the Mount Everest in the first go. 바카라œI didn바카라™t agree with my peers about the benefits of long hours of studies. It바카라™s all about quality time. Seven to eight hours and repeated revisions are enough,바카라 she says. 바카라œAnd, yes, one needs to be positive throughout the preparations. Eating a balanced diet and daily exercise or meditation can be a bonus. Coaching can help just 15 to 20 per cent; the rest depends on self-study.바카라

A second girl child in the family among four siblings, Muskan did her early schooling at V.R. Senior Secondary School, Baddi. She scored 10 cumulative grade points in Class 10 and 96 per cent marks in the Class 12 exams. Then she did BCom (Hons) from S.D. College, Chandigarh (Panjab University) and attained fifth rank. 바카라œAs I still had a year to become eligible for the UPSC exam, I used the time to begin my preparations,바카라 she recalls.

Feeling happy at his daughter바카라™s success, Pawan Jindal says: 바카라œOurs is a business family, but I was the one who put this novel idea of becoming an IAS officer in her mind right during her school days. She was prompt to grab it. Her ranking in academics and focus on studies gave a clear sense that it was going to happen one day.바카라

So how does she see herself as an IAS officer? 바카라œThere are certain key areas where I want to create my own mark. These include eradicating child labour, which I see as a big menace in 21th-century India. I have seen it while living in the industrial belt. Its root cause is poverty. Women empowerment is only a subject of TV debates and seminars, and a lot needs to be done. Girls are still vulnerable to sexual crimes, harassment and victimisation. Even the most educated girl can바카라™t walk alone freely. This needs a change of mindset in society first. Attaining self-esteem for myself as an IAS officer and nation-building will be my goals,바카라 Muskan winds up with an optimistic note as her mother Jyoti Jindal, a homemaker, embraces her at this solemn resolve to work for the poor.

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