– M Rafi Ahmed
Achieving his childhood dream of becoming a police officer became a reality as to the quote of American journalist and author William F Longgood – “Dreams and Dedication are a powerful combination.” Meet 28-year-old S Mohamed Siddiq, serving as a Forest Guard in the Tamil Nadu Forest and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) based in Rockfort city, who cracked the TNPSC Group I services exam to get his dream job of DSP.
Thanks to Coimbatore based Nature Conservation Society (NCS) president N I Jalaluddin for sharing the info about the promising youngster from Sathamangalam village in Lalgudi, who made the Tamil Nadu Forest Department proud after he romped home to victory in getting a gazetted post in the Tamil Nadu Police Department. Truly speaking, he is all set to don the role of safeguarding the public while enforcing laws similar to his present job of preventing illegal wildlife trade and coordinating the law enforcement agencies besides significantly contributing to the preservation of biodiversity.
Sharing his happiness with this scribe, Siddiq said that he had his school education at Government Higher Secondary School in his native Lalgudi and added that he completed his BE Mechanical from Anna University Trichy campus (2017 batch). Without giving any second thought, he joined the Tamil Nadu Forest Department as Forest Guard and is serving for the past seven years. However, his mind revolved around getting into the police department.
Making his maiden attempt for Group I services through TNPSC in 2019, Siddiq said that he miserably failed and added that he made his second try only to get disappointed. Sadly, he missed in his third attempt too. Putting up a brave face, he tried his fourth attempt with confidence. Hard work with dedication fetched him fruitful results in clearing the TNPSC Group I services exam with Rank 91.
Asked about the interview, he said that the duration was for forty minutes with four members of the board asking him why he chose when he was already in a department service. To his preferred choice of DSP post, he was asked how he would handle a riot like situation for which he gave an impressive answer. Besides, questions related to new laws, Russia-Ukraine war, Saivam and Vainavam featured in the interview.
His parents – Shahul Hameed who is actively involved in farming in Sathamangalam village and mom Tajunnisa, a home-maker – while not to speak of his spouse Kowsar Firdous, a BSc computer science grad were on cloud nine after coming to know about his success in TNPSC Group I services. Likewise, his sister Shamim and Shabir expressed happiness for emerging victorious in getting his dream job of DSP.
While filing this story, this scribe got an info about a Forest Guard Himanshu Pant in Uttarakhand cracking the Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UKSSSC) as English Language Teacher in the Government school. On the contrary, Pramod from Mandya District, who aspired to become a lecturer after completing his MA Political Science from University of Mysore in Karnataka landed in the post of Forest Guard as he failed to get his dream job. Great are those who, despite being armed with a degree, choose to get into the forest department as Forest Guards. And they kept trying even while serving with confidence to excel in their line of interest.
