When people talk about beating the odds to achieve something extraordinary, Ansar Shaikh’s story almost always comes up. Ansar became the youngest IAS officer in India after clearing the UPSC Civil Services Examination in 2016, securing an All India Rank of 361, at just 21 years old, and on his very first attempt. Nearly a decade later, his journey is still widely shared as one of the most powerful examples of what determination can achieve, regardless of where someone starts out in life.
Where it all began
Ansar Shaikh was born on June 1, 1994, in Shelgaon, a village in the Jalna district of Maharashtra’s Marathwada region, an area long known for its economic struggles and drought conditions. His father, Yonus Shaikh Ahmad, worked as an autorickshaw driver, while his mother, Adeela Shaikh, worked as a labourer in the fields. Financial hardship was a constant presence in the household, and pursuing higher education was far from a given in his family. In interviews over the years, Ansar has spoken candidly about just how difficult his home environment was growing up. He has described a household affected by poverty, alcoholism, and domestic conflict, where his two sisters were married off young and his younger brother, Anees, had to drop out of school in the 7th standard to work at a garage and support the family, including Ansar’s own education.
Academic brilliance despite the odds
Even amid these circumstances, Ansar’s talent for academics stood out early. He scored an impressive 91 percent in his 12th-grade board exams, a result that hinted at the potential he carried. He went on to pursue a bachelor’s degree in political science from the well-known Fergusson College in Pune, graduating with 73 percent marks. It was during this period that his focus began shifting toward one of the most competitive examinations in the country: the UPSC Civil Services Examination.
Three years of relentless preparation
Ansar has often said that there is no substitute for hard work, and his own preparation reflected that belief. By his own account, he studied for around 12 hours a day, sometimes stretching to 14 or 15 hours, consistently for three years. He attended private coaching for his UPSC preparation and has spoken about how his coaching institute waived a portion of his fees once they learned about his financial situation, while friends also supported him both emotionally and financially during this period.His preparation followed a structured timeline. He spent the first year focused on his optional subject, political science, and the fundamentals of general studies. He dedicated nine months primarily to prelims preparation, followed by around 100 days for mains after clearing the preliminary exam, and used the final 40 days to specifically prepare for the interview round. He chose Marathi as his medium for both the Mains exam and the interview.
Clearing UPSC on the very first attempt
In 2016, all that preparation paid off. Ansar cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination on his first attempt, securing All India Rank 361 at the age of 21, making him the youngest person to become an IAS officer in India at the time. He was allotted the West Bengal cadre as part of the 2016 batch. Recalling the moment he shared the news with his family, Ansar has said that his relatives were left stunned, since education had never really been a priority or an expectation in their household. For a family that had faced generations of financial struggle, his achievement marked a dramatic turning point.
Life after UPSC: service and reflection
Since joining the Indian Administrative Service, Ansar has served in various administrative roles within the West Bengal cadre. According to Wikipedia and recent reports, he currently serves as the Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of Malda, West Bengal, having earlier also served in similar roles in other districts within the state. Ansar has spoken about how his own background continues to shape his approach to public service. He has described himself as someone who has faced marginalisation on multiple fronts, coming from an underdeveloped region, a minority community, and a poor economic background, and has said that this lived experience informs how he approaches his responsibilities as an administrator today. On a personal note, several reports mention that Ansar is married to Waiza Ansari, who holds a master’s degree in physics.
Why his story still resonates
Ansar Shaikh’s journey isn’t just a story about clearing a difficult exam; it’s a story about what’s possible when someone refuses to let their circumstances define their future. From a village grappling with poverty and limited access to education, he rose to hold one of the most respected administrative positions in the country, entirely through hard work, discipline, and the sacrifices of a family that believed in him even without fully understanding the path he was on. For countless UPSC aspirants across India today, particularly those from underprivileged backgrounds, his story remains proof that circumstances can be challenged and that ambition, backed by consistent effort, can carry someone further than anyone around them might have imagined.
