– Mohd Naushad Khan
Subuk Muskaan of Rampur has qualified Uttar Pradesh Civil Judge Exam by securing 29th rank in PCS(J) despite multiple challenges. Her father died in a road accident in 2014 a couple of months before her High School Board exams. After her father’s sad demise, she was disheartened and depressed as well. But her father’s words kept her moving forward and now she has become a judge. In the absence of her father, Subuk’s mother taught both her daughters and son.
Subuk, 23, while talking to Radiance in detail about her success, challenges and hardship and about her mission in life said, “For me, it was a great achievement to have qualified PCJ competitive exams at such an early age and that too in my first attempt. I was in anxiety about the result as to whether I will qualify or not. My interview was good but in competition there can be uncertainty and that is why I was worried. In the meantime, I visited my mother and maternal grandmother and left everything to my fate. But suddenly, when I came to know about the result, I was literally shivering and crying. I hugged my mother and told her that I have become a judge.”
She further said, “I cried because I was able to do what my father wanted me to do. In the absence of Father, it was a mixed feeling for me which I am unable to express in words. I realized the challenges soon after the demise of my father. In the absence of Father, I was deprived of mental and emotional support. And because of mental tragedy it was almost a breakdown for me. I was completely lost and had no clear idea as to what to do next. It was just two months before the high school board exams when my father left for the heavenly abode. I was then completely disturbed.”
She continued, “But what kept me moving despite all odds was the words of my father: always work hard to become successful. Most of the time, I remained aloof, distressed and sometimes depressed as well. Along with it, I was also facing financial constraint. I passed my high school from Holy Child School Rudrapur. Then, I went to Aligarh and got admission in 10+2. The reason why I went to Aligarh was first I wanted to move out of that place and to be in a different environment and the second that education in Aligarh was not that expensive as compared to other places.”
She maintained, “I was sure that it is AMU itself which can provide me affordable and quality education. I qualified both in Jamia and AMU in my competitive exams of 10+2 and BA LLB. I opted for AMU because I felt it was affordable. I studied with the help of many scholarships. I received scholarship from Muslim Education Trust and last year from Human Welfare Foundation. The challenges became even bigger during Covid-19 because I was also affected. It was very difficult for me to regain the lost pace impacted by the pandemic. I was unable to do coaching to overcome it as I could not afford it.”
Subuk told this scribe, “I was not fully confident to appear for my judicial exams but my mother encouraged me to go for it. I did what I was able to do under such circumstances. In every competitive exam, it is the strategy that matters the most. I started my preparation during my BA course and it worked for me.”
On her role as a judge, she said, “I would like to do everything with honesty and provide justice for all. All of us say so, but I want to make it a reality. I would like to help, support and provide complete justice to all people like me who were deprived of something or the other and those who had to face challenges in their life. I wish to stand for them and do everything what I can for them. I wish to ensure that no one should be deprived of justice because of lack of resources.”
On her goal of life, Subuk said, “When I join judiciary, I will not be in a key position but I can suggest people any kind of reforms. For example, people are generally afraid and avoid helping the victims of accident because of fear from police scrutiny and hassling as a result of it. And it is just because of that mentality we lost our father. He met with an accident but nobody came forward to help him in time. I will try to work in that direction where people can without any hesitation and fear help victims of accident.
“I also wish to work against dowry. Dowry is prevalent in all societies; atrocities and violence generally take place no matter to which class they belong to. In my place Rampur it is very prevalent. There are anti-dowry laws but it is still prevalent. There is a status competition which is encouraging dowry system even more. I also wish to work for menstrual hygiene.”
On her scholarship from Vision 2026 Scholarship Program under the Human Welfare Foundation, Abdul Karim, program head of the Education Department, told Radiance that Muskan was given scholarship of Rs 15000 during 2022-23 and this scholarship will continue this year too as she is in final year. We are highly pleased that she has qualified prestigious judicial exam.”
Karim further said, “Vision 2026 provides scholarships to students who are pursuing graduation and post-graduation from any central or state universities. We provide this scholarship in 18 states. We have also started a new scheme in the name of Prof Siddique Hassan Scholarship which is Rs 30,000. This scholarship is for the students of entire India. Every year we give scholarship to around 500 students. Since 2006, when the scholarship scheme was started, we have provided scholarship to around 8000 students all over India.”
