Nischintapur, a quiet village off Murshidabad’s Behrampore, is abuzz with celebration as friends and well-wishers make a beeline to the modest home of Yeamin Sk, 26, who secured 12th rank in the West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS) examinations.

A narrow lane leads to the small courtyard of his home, where a thatched cowshed shelters half a dozen cattle seeking respite from the summer heat.

The WBCS results, published on Thursday, mark the beginning of Yeamin’s journey, first as a block development officer (BDO). But behind the success lie many little stories of extraordinary grit, perseverance and sacrifices to keep a dream from getting extinguished.

Yeamin is the first in his family to complete any form of schooling.

“My parents and grandparents are illiterate. In my generation, too, everyone else dropped out of school. Some work as plumbers, masons, carpenters... I am the only one who persisted,” he said.

His father Noor Islam Sheikh is a farm labourer. Mother Sarjina Bibi is a homemaker. Among six brothers, Yeamin is the fourth. His elder siblings took up manual labour after dropping out in Class VIII. But Yeamin, after passing his Madhyamik and higher secondary exams from Shahjadpur High School — scoring 66 per cent and 88 per cent, respectively — graduated with Honours in English from Jiaganj Shripat Singh College under Kalyani University, securing 52 per cent.

“I wasn’t particularly brilliant in academics. But I made up for it with hard work, consistency and focus,” he said.

The WBCS dream happened to him in serendipity.

“I was in my second year of college. While travelling by train, I overheard two passengers talking about WBCS. That conversation changed my life. Before that, I practically had no idea what the WBCS was,” he said.

After completing his graduation in 2019, Yeamin moved to Behrampore, renting a small room to prepare for the exam.

“Studying at home wasn’t an option. It was too chaotic. So I offered private tuitions to fund my stay and started preparing on my own,” he said.

Although he attempted coaching classes at several centres, none quite resonated with him. Ultimately, Yeamin turned to self-study, using online resources as his guide. His first attempt at the WBCS exam in 2021 saw him clear all stages, except the final personality test.

“It broke my heart. But I didn’t give up. I returned stronger the next year,” he said.

In 2022, he enrolled in the free residential WBCS coaching programme offered by the state Haj committee for students from minority communities. That proved to be a game-changer.

“If I have to thank anyone for this success, it’s my mother,” Yeamin said.

“Despite not understanding my studies or my pursuit of this goal, she supported me unconditionally. She managed to send me money whenever she could, although we had very little. I am also deeply thankful to the West Bengal State Haj Committee. They provided everything — coaching, accommodation, and even meals — for free. Without them, this would not have been possible,” he added.

His father is still struggling to grasp the magnitude of his son’s achievement.

“We didn’t understand what he was studying. He did everything on his own. It’s Allah’s blessing that the son of a poor man like me has become a WBCS officer,” he said, beaming with pride.

Khalilur Rahaman, local Trinamool Congress MP and chairperson of the state Haj committee, hailed Yeamin’s success as historic and transformative.

“It is a matter of great pride that a boy from such a backward region in my constituency has achieved this. Becoming a WBCS executive despite having no study environment at home takes immense courage and determination. I believe his success will inspire many others in the region and lead to meaningful social change,” said Rahaman.