Student of Jamia Millia Islamia coaching academy tops Civil Service exam

Shruti Sharma a student of Jamia Millia Islamia’s Residential Coaching Academy (RCA) secured the first rank in the Civil Services exam, the results of which were declared by the Union Public Services Commission on Monday.

The 25-year-old Delhi resident and a native of Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor district, is a product of St Stephens College, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Jamia Millia Islamia RCA (UPSC). This was her second attempt at the competitive examination.

Sharma was coached at the Residential Coaching Academy (RCA) at Jamia Millia Islamia which offers coaching to civil services aspirants.

Jamia Millia Islamia’s vice-chancellor Najma Akhtar also reached Sharma’s residence to congratulate the UPSC topper. Besides Sharma, 23 students from RCA have cleared the civil services exam.

Last year, the coaching academy was in the eye of the storm after a television news programme alleged that the centre is indulged in ‘UPSC Jihad’.

Rajdeep Sardesai tweets on his twitter handle, “The UPSC topper Shruti Sharma was coached at the Residential Coaching Academy (RCA) at Jamia Millia Islamia : since 2010, the academy has produced over 260 civil servants. Yet the same Jamia was demonised by some as ‘anti national’ during the anti CAA agitation. Enough said”

Najma Akhtar also pointed out that the success of 23 Jamia students shows that Jamia offers an environment where students can excel and achieve their dreams. She asserted that the performance of RCA’s students was an answer to those who had cast aspersions on the centre.

Shruti Sharma has praised Jamia’s environment. “After completing my graduation, I started thinking about opting for civil services. Once I got through Jamia’s RCA, I decided to actively prepare and pursue civil services. It was very helpful in terms of the environment that the institute provided.” Hindustan Times quoted her as saying.