IAS Success Story: Ummul Khair’s journey is one of incredible determination and resilience. Despite her family’s poor financial condition and a debilitating bone disease that led to 8 surgeries and 16 fractures, she never gave up. This inspiring story from Rajasthan will surely move you.
Many young people prepare for the UPSC exam each year. It is one of the toughest exams, and many lose hope after failures. But some persist and eventually succeed. Ummul Khair is one such example. She worked tirelessly to crack the exam.
8 Surgeries and 16 Fractures
Ummul, from Rajasthan, grew up in the Trilokpuri slum in Delhi. Her father sold clothes, and she suffered from a weak bone condition from a young age. This led to 8 surgeries and 16 fractures. Despite these challenges and her family’s poor financial situation, Ummul was determined to succeed.
Studied While Living in a Slum
Seeing her family’s financial struggles, Ummul started tutoring to support herself. She began working from a young age to fund her education. With the help of an NGO, she completed her 10th grade. After 10th grade, her family couldn’t support her education further, so she left home and continued her studies in the slum. She scored an impressive 91% in her 12th grade. She then graduated from Gargi College, Delhi University.
Continuous Preparation
Ummul completed her MA at JNU’s School of International Studies and enrolled in an MPhil/PhD program. She began preparing for the UPSC exam. In 2016, she cracked the UPSC exam on her first attempt, achieving a rank of 420.
