Meet woman who cleared UPSC exam in her 7th attempt at age 40, after becoming a mother of two, became IAS officer with AIR...

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam is one of the toughest exams in India, with lakhs of students appearing for it every year. However, only a handful of them get the chance to fulfill their dreams of becoming an IAS officer. Today, we will tell you about IAS Nisa Unnirajan, who cracked the UPSC exam in her 7th attempt after becoming mother of 2 daughters.

Who is IAS Nisa Unnirajan? 

Nisa Unnirajan, who hails Kerala cracked UPSC exam at the age of 40. She proved that hard work and determination can conquer any obstacle. Her story is a testament to the fact that age, disability, or other challenges shouldn't prevent anyone from achieving their dreams. Despite facing numerous hurdles, Nisa secured the 1,000th rank in her seventh attempt in 2024.

IAS Nisa Unnirajan's UPSC journey

She began her civil service journey at 35. While many might be settled in their careers or contemplating retirement after passing UPSC at this age, Nisa crafted her own success story. She balanced her home responsibilities with the support of her daughters, Nandana (11) and Thanvi (7), and her husband Arun, along with her retired police officer parents.

Nisa, who could not clear the UPSC exam in 6 attempts, also has a problem of hearing impairment; however, she never let that come in her way as she never gave up despite facing multiple failures. She learned from each setback, continuously refining her strategy. This resilient approach kept her moving forward. She cracked UPSC exam in her 7th attempt with All India Rank (AIR) 1000.

Who was IAS Nisa Unnirajan's inspiration?

Driven by her passion, Nisa prepared for the civil services at a private coaching center in Thiruvananthapuram. She drew inspiration from Kottayam's sub-collector, Ranjit, who also has a hearing impairment. Witnessing Ranjit's achievements, Nisa found the strength to keep going, according to News18 Hindi.

Nisa filled her routine with inspiring autobiographies, success stories, and motivational videos. This unconventional approach helped her maintain mental strength and guided her toward success. Her achievement proves that it's never too late and no dream is too big to chase. With strong determination, anyone can start at any age.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor praised Nisa for her achievement

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor was among those who hailed Unnirajan's achievement by congratulating her on the social media for her inspiring story.

Taking to social media X, formerly Twritter, he wrote, "A 40-year-old disabled mother from Thiruvananthapuram cracked the IAS while raising two kids. Congratulations Nisa Unnirajan!"

"It's never too late - an inspiring story!" he wrote, posting a newspaper clipping about Nisa Unnirajan.

Meanwhile, UPSC has an upper age limit of 42 for candidates with benchmarked disabilities (PwBD) across general, OBC, EWS, ST, and SC categories. PwBD candidates in the general, OBC, and EWS categories are allowed nine attempts, while ST/SC candidates have unlimited attempts until they reach the age limit of 42 years.