From a countryside girl in a certain cul de sac village of Kashmir to an IAS officer, hers is a success story unparalleled. The 27-year-old Dr. Ruveda Salam does not regret her decision to bid adieu to medical profession and join the elite civil services. While admitting that corruption is all pervasive, Ruveda feels that this young brigade of KAS and IAS officers can help bring a change.
While talking to
SAJAD AHMAD SHAH of THE KASHMIR SCENARIO
Ruveda says that there is visible alienation in the youth of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Childhood they say is the most beautiful part of a person’s life. Take us through your childhood and your school days?
One of the luckiest things that can happen to you in life is, I think, to have a happy childhood. Mine was a mix of innocence, protection, play and at the same time of pain and distress accompanying the situation of 90’s in Kashmir. Having come this far in my education despite the overall uncertainty was possible due to the efforts of my grandmother, parents and teachers at Mallinson Girls School.
There was some confusion about the cadre you got. Where has it settled finally?
I have been allocated IPS which itself is an exciting challenge. State cadres will be allotted next year during probation.
While women in Kashmir have excelled in other fields like Medicine, Engineering and law, yours is the first success story as far as the IAS is concerned. How is the feeling?
A sense of pride for having achieved my goal has dawned on me. At the same time I feel an added responsibility for representing my state at the national forum besides proving my worth in my chosen field.
You were selected for MBBS. While becoming a doctor is a dream for any person, what made you go for administration? What you thought you could do as an administrator that you could not do as a Doctor?
Medicine happened after my schooling both for lack of awareness about diverse career options and also as a means to secure my future if in any case I could not make it to administration after the completion of my graduation. ‘Prevention is better than cure ‘, this maxim applies not just to health but also to society in general. As such the role of an administrator is wider in terms of development of the entire society and not just the health sector which can prevent many ills it is afflicted with. But this in no way undermines the nobility of medical profession. I had to combine my personal choice with my societal responsibilities.
Your father has been a renowned broadcaster. How did he react when you told him that you wanted to wade in administration and leave aside what could have been a glorious career in medicine?
Credit goes to him for standing by my decisions each time. During my internship in GMC Srinagar itself, my father bought books for KAS /IAS without ever asking me to reconsider my decision of appearing for civil services while as everyone else among my friends & relatives thought otherwise. It is important for a girl to have support of male members of her family. My mother too respected my career related aspirations.
IAS is not a walk in the park. While you had cleared KAS 2009, IAS I believe is a different ball game. Preparation wise, which examination is difficult and why?
Many people consider IAS to be the toughest exam in the country. The level of competition considering the fact that now it attracts the best of brains even from IIT’s and reputed medical colleges of the country, the perseverance it requires in an ever evolving nature in terms of its syllabi and pattern of examination and the plethora of sources one needs to read and understand rightly justifies it’s magnanimity and toughness. KAS exam pattern in my opinion needs to bridge this gap so that it becomes easy for aspirants to approach both with single preparation.
You also do coaching for KAS aspirants. How was your experience as a teacher? How do you convince your students that administration is the best job when the cliché that administrators are just pen pushers is ruling the roost?
Teaching is one of the most satisfying & contributing activity/career one can opt for. My experience as a guide in various civil services coaching institutes in the valley brought home many myths young aspirants are ridden with. It took a lot of motivation on my part to convince them about the role of civil services in governance besides a career option which is secure and enriching. The talent of Kashmiri youth needs to be channelised in the right direction through boosting their confidence and I am glad that many of my students are now part of the administration.
You are from the beautiful country side of Kashmir. Do you think that the countryside of Kashmir has not received its fair share in development?
Many factors have played their role in keeping certain areas of our state underdeveloped. The role of civil servants has now become all the more important to reduce such imbalances.
When you visit your birth burg in the country side, what is the response of people there on seeing you?
Kupwara deserves its rightful place in the overall progress of J&K. The cheerfulness on their faces and their prayers has stood by me. I remember recently an 8th standard girl hugged me and expressed her desire to become an IAS officer during a function there. What can be more satisfying than this!
There is a sense of euphoria vis-à-vis Kashmiri born IAS Officers. People feel they can be change bringers? How would you expect to live up to their expectations in a politically-charged atmosphere where an IAS officer like Durga Shakti Nagpaul was suspended for just doing her duty?
It often helps when sons of the soil crack such prestigious exams and get an opportunity to serve their own state as one is well aware of the problems besetting it while as it takes time for officers from outside the state to understand them while they try their best to bring a positive change. Good governance has stood the test of time. It is more about one’s ethics and a sense of duty which can never fail an honest officer.
There has been this unpleasant trend of educated young people taking to militancy and separatism. Why do you think it is happening? You think there are enough voices in the present state government that actually reach out to youth?
There is a sense of alienation on the ground which manifests itself through such things. Politics apart, it’s the people who can judge their elected government in terms of the promises such a government has fulfilled because aspirations vary across the state & often it becomes difficult to meet them.
The state of Jammu and Kashmir is still the second most corrupt state in India. You think this young breed of IAS/KAS officers can help change that image?
Corruption is all pervasive. It has to start from me , you & others in a concerted manner. As officers there is more responsibility to this end.
You have spent some time in New Delhi while you had to be interviewed for IAS. How do the students from outside the state prepare for IAS? Is their method of preparation for this examination any ways different from the way the students of our state prepare for this examination?
We first aspire to crack KAS as it is comparatively easy and in the process we have to start from scratch for cracking IAS. Same happened with me .As I said earlier, KAS exam pattern and syllabi needs to be brought up at par with that of IAS. Many States have already done that which I came to know from my co-interviewees in Delhi. This saves precious time and increases the success rate for both the exams.
A young Doctor who is now in the elitist civil services. There must be many suitors. Any plans to get married in the immediate future?
Right person at the right time. Although time is right but the first aspect is still to be met.
Your message to the people of Kashmir and in particular to those students who are preparing for various civil services examinations
The spirit of harmony and brotherhood for which we are known throughout the history of the sub-continent must not leave us at this juncture when we all are trying our best to meet our goals of peace and development. Opportunities are immense; it’s our hard work & desire to bring a positive change in our state which can help us tap them. So try your level best irrespective of the hurdles that come your way.
A young Doctor who is now in the elitist civil services. There must be many suitors. Any plans to get married in the immediate future?
Right person at the right time. Although time is right but the first aspect is still to be met.