Meet Jameela, the only Malayali selected to IES this year

"Why is India consistently ranked low on the World Happiness Index? Despite rising consumption levels, happiness doesn’t seem to keep pace. Yet, a country's economic progress depends on sustained consumption. How do we address this paradox?"

These were just some of the intriguing questions posed to Al Jameela during her interview for this year’s Indian Economic Service (IES) examination. Reflecting on the experience, she recalls feeling genuinely excited after the engaging half-hour session. When the results were announced, Al Jameela emerged as the sole Malayali to find a place in the rank list, securing the 12th rank.

Hailing from Nedumkunnam in Kottayam, Al Jameela’s academic journey began with an Integrated MA programme in Economics at the University of Hyderabad after completing her higher secondary education. Following three years of undergraduate studies there, she moved to the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi for her MA in Economics at the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning.

During her time at JNU, she cleared the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and GATE exams on her first attempt. After completing her MA in 2022, she re-enrolled at JNU for a PhD programme.

Although Al Jameela had initially joined a coaching programme for the IES examination immediately after completing her post-graduation, she chose to discontinue it to focus on her doctoral research. She also skipped appearing for the test due to her academic commitments.

Self-preparation
Once her PhD work reached a manageable stage, Al Jameela began preparing for the IES examination this year. Starting her preparation in March, she balanced the intense demands of the exam with the ongoing pressure of completing her doctoral research. Despite the hectic schedule, her perseverance paid off, allowing her to secure a top rank on her very first attempt.

Al Jameela primarily relied on self-study but supplemented her preparation by participating in test series offered by various training institutes. She also sought advice from senior IPS officer Alexander Jacob while preparing her detailed bio-data for the interview. Assistance was also received from individuals like Dr Ratheesh Krishnan, an assistant professor at the Nedumangad Government College, who conducted mock interviews for her. Dr N Jayaraj MLA, the legislator of Kanjirappally with a doctorate in economics, too provided her with valuable guidelines.

At JNU, Al Jameela is pursuing her PhD in behavioural economics under Prof. Sujoy Chakravarthy. In her bio-data submitted to the interview board, she noted her extensive reading of books related to this subject. Perhaps because of this, a majority of the questions during her IES interview pertained to behavioural economics.

Kerala is evolving
If academic reading and critical thinking are central to a PhD programme, preparing for the IES examination requires an in-depth study of diverse subjects. The general advice for IES aspirants is to ideally take a break of at least a year for dedicated preparation.

The study of economics at JNU and Hyderabad universities places a strong emphasis on econometrics and mathematics (statistics). Al Jameela observes that Kerala’s academic syllabus has also started incorporating these changes, which will undoubtedly help students preparing for national-level examinations.

Beyond academics
Al Jameela’s journey has been shaped by much more than academics. She was an active participant in debate and elocution competitions from her school years, showcasing her oratory skills in both English and Malayalam. She earned accolades at the Dr P C Alexander Memorial State Elocution Competition, winning prizes in the senior category.

Her leadership abilities also came to the fore during her tenure as the president of the Balajana Sakhyam. At the CBSE State Youth Festival, she further proved her prowess by winning first prizes in both Malayalam elocution and essay writing.

Al Jameela credits her success to the unwavering support of her mother, C A Ajitha Salam, who serves as a Deputy Commissioner in the Ponkunnam Audit Division of the GST Department.