UPSC Journey: A 2018-batch IAS couple from different home states and initial cadres has emerged as one of Bihar’s prominent administrative duos: Sahila Heer, originally from Jalandhar, is the District Magistrate (DM) of Buxar, while her husband Nitin Kumar Singh, from Varanasi, now serves as the Director of Secondary Education in Patna.
Sahila Heer completed her schooling at MGN School in Jalandhar and went on to pursue BTech in Electronics, Instrumentation and Control Engineering from Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala. She later completed a postgraduate course in Event Management. After finishing her technical education, she set her sights on the civil services. This marked the turning point where Heer’s journey shifted from engineering to administrative service. Sahila’s father, BL Heer, served as a Deputy Chief Engineer at the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited, while her mother, Kuljit Heer, retired as a school principal.
Ultimately, she was selected on her fourth attempt, securing the 572nd rank, joining the IAS in 2018.
Heer told us that although she faced setbacks during her preparation, she did not give up. Heer told us that she benefited from a supportive family background.
Heer’s journey encompasses the struggle from Jalandhar to clearing the UPSC exam on her fourth attempt, a cadre change, and experience in field administration. In contrast, Nitin’s path includes his time at IIT Kanpur, initial administrative postings in Bihar, and his current state-level departmental responsibility.
