Doctors told Anisha Tomar she had Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) when she began studying for her second attempt at the UPSC examinations. She later became a well-known IFS officer.
Success and failure stories both motivate us in different ways. Such anecdotes inspire UPSC hopefuls to persevere in their difficult road toward becoming a government servant.
Anisha Tomar, an IFS officer from New Delhi who passed the test with an All India Rank (AIR) of 94 on her third try in 2019, revealed her tough path on Quora.
Anisha, like every other aspirant, began with vigour and optimism. But she realized it was going to be a difficult challenge immediately after the first prelim.
Furthermore, she was diagnosed with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) in February 2018, just as she began preparing for her second try.
Anisha said, “With prelims only a few months away, I felt like my dream was slipping away from me. Somewhere in the midst of drugs, MRIs, and spinal taps, I mustered the strength to study despite the pain.” She feared she’d never be able to recover from her two-month hiatus.
Surprisingly, she passed the prelims but failed the mains by six marks that year.
Nonetheless, she was unwilling to give up on her ambition. Anisha breezed through the prelims once more and concentrated on the mains. She spent more time this semester on ethics, essays, and elective subjects.
Anisha says that her right hand’s pinky finger was completely swollen and bruised.
She was overjoyed after the exams, and an interview call seemed imminent.
She passed the mains and went to the interview, as predicted. Anisha recalls staying cool and composed during the interview.
However, the delay in publicizing the results made her anxious.Anisha describes her feelings as fear, concern, lethargy, and fatigue. The thought of studying for prelims tormented her.
However, the youngster’s diligence paid off. Her eyes welled up when she saw her position of 94th.
“Growth is gradual, life is unpredictable, hope is all we have,” Anisha said in her article.
These sensible comments of an ambitious lady inspire everybody — UPSC applicant or not. Through her hardships, she highlights the need of taking care of oneself no matter what.
