Kerala woman with 40 per cent hearing disability cracks civil services exam

NEW DELHI: At 40, Nisa Unnirajan, a mother of two from Kerala with a 40 per cent hearing disability, has cleared the Civil Services Exam (CSE) with a rank of 1,000. Her achievement also drew praise from Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who, in a post on 'X', pointed out that it was "never too late" to achieve our goals. "It’s never too late—an inspiring story! A 40-year-old disabled mother from Thiruvananthapuram cracked the IAS while raising two kids.

Congratulations, Nisa Unnirajan," he wrote on 'X'. Unnirajan, an Assistant Audit Officer at the Accountant General’s office in Thiruvananthapuram, said she had always wanted to try for the Civil Services Exam but couldn’t until she turned 35, as her circumstances earlier were not conducive. "It was only after I turned 35 that I had the opportunity to pursue it. I decided that age was not a factor. If we work hard, regardless of our age, we will see results," she told the media.

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Speaking about the challenges she faced, she mentioned that her hearing disability was a significant limitation, as she couldn’t learn by listening to others in a classroom setting and had to rely entirely on self-study. "I had to self-study mostly. I had to depend on myself. But now, with resources like YouTube videos, we can overcome such limitations," she said. "I also had the support of my parents, husband, children, and seniors at work," she added.