Clearing the UPSC Civil Services Examination is considered a monumental achievement as aspirants spend the majority of their time preparing for it. In particular, passing the IAS exam on the first attempt is a feat accomplished only by exceptional candidates.
Ansar Sheikh, the youngest IAS officer, is one of those exceptional candidates who cleared the UPSC CS Examination at the age of 21. He hails from Jalna village in Maharashtra. His father used to work as an auto-rickshaw driver and has been married thrice, with Ansar Sheikh being the son of his second wife.
Sheikh’s father was an alcoholic, and he and his siblings never had a conducive atmosphere for studying.
Despite this, Ansar showed remarkable academic prowess and obtained 91 percent in his 12th standard exams, and 73 percent in his graduation. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Ferguson College in Pune.
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Ansar Shaikh underwent coaching for one year, and then worked tirelessly for three more years to pass the UPSC Civil Services Examination on his first attempt. At the age of 21, he became the youngest IAS officer in the country by securing a rank of 361. He dedicated about 12 hours of his day to civil services preparation during those three years.
