Duniya ke Rung NUST ke Sung – Episode 3 with Umer Ahmed Mehtab
With the bleak shadow of COVID’19 still looming over us, we can do nothing but adjust to it accordingly. But that’s not to say it isn’t stress-inducing. However, luckily for us, NMC brought forth yet another episode of its enjoyable talk show ‘Duniya ke Rung, NUST ke Sung’- gracing us with interesting tidbits and an overall gratifying episode!
This session was held on the 25th of April, hosted by our very own Adil Ali Tariq who provided us with a lighthearted and fun-filled session with his friendly and cheery persona and featuring Umer Ahmed Mehtab, a highly talented and successful civil service candidate from the 48th CTP. (and a former NUSTian as well!)
The third episode starts with our guest shedding light on what his job entails. It involved him going on a 6-month military detachment after their common training program. His schedule was nothing short of busy, and yet still he seemed eager to connect with NMC.
In the first segment, when asked what exactly inspired him to become a CSP officer, he revealed how he was like most students, wanting a software engineering degree from the USA, then getting a job abroad. However, after achieving his degree in 2017 and working as a customer support engineer for six months, it dawned upon him that working in the private sector was something that he just wasn’t cut out for it.
He realized that going abroad would necessitate the same thing and arrived at the conclusion that contributing to our country’s policymaking was what he truly wanted hence commencing his journey as a civil servant. He further elaborated that his motivations also stemmed from a need to stay close to his parents and his country. (Indeed, our guest was quite the proud Pakistani!)
Umer then provided insight on what the CSS exams demand. He clarified that he did prior research on what subjects to choose for the exam, which he would find highly enjoyable. These turned out to be subjects linked to international relations. Surprisingly different from what he initially wanted! He also stressed the importance of your academic background, how it helped mold him and shape what he is today.
Afterward, he elucidated the road ahead of the CSS exam. According to him, it’s a one-and-a-half-year process. Despite the trials and tribulations between giving the exam and the interview, to him, having his hard work pay off and having his loved ones be proud of him made finally receiving his allocation all worth it! He further reiterated that there is no difficulty studying for CSS exams as long as the subjects you choose are of your interest.
After somewhat of an icebreaking session in the lighthearted second segment, our guest briefed us about inland revenue services, tax collection, and how he aspired to contribute towards their betterment. He then went on to share some memorable experiences during his time in the civil service training academy. He accentuated how this was one of the best times of his life in between interacting with fellow students and hosting all kinds of events. (all of this is DL, no less!).
According to Umer, gaining the post of assistant commissioner IR gives you a conscience, different from what you carried before. However, it’s not all felicity and bliss. Umer talked about the amount of course content he had to cover for tests in just a few days. He also warned the audience that after passing the written exam, the interview stage also carried extreme weight and was quite difficult. The crux of his advice? Confidence is the key to a successful interview.
Our guest then fondly reminisced about his time at NUST. From late-night rendezvous at hostels to attending events and juggling society work, he expressed nothing but wistful nostalgia when talking about all those memories. When asked to choose between his time there and his time at the civil service academy, he picked the former with zero hesitation. He expressed regret on how DL has affected his training at the academy but accepted that there is no other viable solution in the face of this pandemic.
This illuminating episode finally ended with our guest leaving with these parting words to all his underclassmen at NUST “There is no other such university so enjoy the time spent there to your fullest and make as many memories as you can. Respect your elders and the feelings of those beside you and finally, contribute as much as you can for the betterment of your country!”
