From constable to ACP, Delhi cop realises his dreams with true grit
As a student at a government school, Firoj Alam had two dreams -- first, to join the police force; and second to become an “officer”.
Alam, the son of a scrap dealer in Pilkhuwa town of western Uttar Pradesh’s Hapur district, realised his first dream in 2010, when he joined the Delhi Police as a constable; and the second on April 1 this year when he joined the force again, but this time as an assistant commissioner of police (ACP).
Alam’s success story made headlines last year when he cracked the UPSC 2019 civil services exam, results of which were announced on August 4, 2020. Alam achieved the 645th rank from among 800,000 aspirants.
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Alam, 30, said he was determined to not waste a single minute that he could find off-duty. “All these years, I shared a room with my friends in Mukherjee Nagar. My colleagues and seniors in the force were very helpful and cooperative. Whenever I managed to find time from my job, I studied. Even for a minute, I did not forget I wanted to clear the civil services. Education was the only way to fulfil my dreams and I was focused on my aim to clear UPSC (exam),” he said from the Police Training College in Delhi’s Jharoda Kalan over the phone.
Talking about his journey to the post of ACP, Alam said, “Once I became a constable after passing Class 12, I knew I wasn’t done. I chose to work, make a living, pursued my education but my goal was cracking the civil services. I am fortunate to have succeeded. I am an ACP now,” he said.
Having achieved the rank, Alam said the road ahead of him is full of challenges. “I remind myself that I have to be a good leader. There is so much to learn. When I wore the officer’s uniform for the first time, I realised the responsibility and the expectations that come with the stars (insignia).”
Now, Alam is helping other constables crack the civil services exam. He started a Whatsapp group called – Delhi Police Family For UPSC. Fifty-eight constables who aspire to pass the UPSC exams are part of the group. “Some have cleared their main examinations, others are preparing. I help them in whatever way I can. Be it sharing notes or time management, I tell my brothers that I am just a call away,” he said.
But how has life changed for the man who until last year was among the 46,000 most junior cops in the Delhi police?
“Sometimes it is awkward. My constable friends, who called me Bhai(brother) for so many years, now call me sir. We smile. I do not know how to respond to that,” he said.