‘Blindness never defined me’: Vadakara’s Jaseela Jannath P cracks UPSC with rank 397

Kozhikode: Jaseela Jannath P, a 30-year-old visually impaired candidate from Vadakara, has secured the 397th rank in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination, marking a significant milestone for differently-abled aspirants in the region.

The achievement follows Jaseela’s fourth attempt at the competitive national exam. A graduate of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai, she holds a Master’s degree in Social Work with a specialisation in Women-Centred Practice. Her academic background and personal interest in social dynamics led her to choose Sociology as her optional subject for the examination.

Before dedicating herself to full-time exam preparation, Jaseela served as a Project Associate at the Prajaahita Foundation in Kozhikode from 2021 to 2022. To navigate the extensive UPSC syllabus, she utilised a combination of audio-based learning modules, voice-to-text technology, and peer-led discussion groups.

"Blindness tested me, but it never defined me," Jaseela said, noting that personalised mentorship and tech-aided learning were essential to her success. She expressed a desire to use her position in the civil services to advocate for and serve the differently-abled community.

Jaseela’s preparation included a year of intensive coaching at Xylem IAS, where she joined the 2025 civil services batch. She is one of 29 students from the institute to achieve a rank in this year’s results.

Outside of her academic pursuits, Jaseela has a history of performance in the arts. During her school years, she earned top marks in mimicry, folk songs, and traditional Malayalam recitation. She is the daughter of Sainaba and the late Kunhabdulla P.

The UPSC Civil Services Examination is one of India’s most rigorous selection processes, determining the country’s next generation of diplomats, police officers, and administrative executives.