Fabi Rasheed, hailing from Kerala, began preparing for the UPSC exams after graduation. Throughout her preparation, she struggled with anxiety and panic attacks. Despite the challenges, her drive to succeed motivated her to persist, and she secured an incredible 71st rank in her very first attempt at UPSC 2023. Let’s learn how she overcame debilitating anxiety to achieve success in UPSC. 

Background

Born in Alappuzha, Kerala, Fabi Rasheed’s parents were both in government service. Her mother who used to work as a paediatrician, and her father as an Ayurveda expert, have both retired. Fabi completed her schooling from Sarvodaya School, Trivandrum, where she became a state topper with 97.6 percent marks. She then pursued Biological Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research. 

An achiever

Remarkably, Fabi received the INSPIRE Fellowship from the Central Department of Science and Technology during her higher studies. After graduating in 2022, she began preparing for the UPSC exams. She dedicated an entire year for competitive exam preparation and eventually, achieved her dream of cracking UPSC. 

Dealing with anxiety

Fabi led a comfortable life but she struggled with her mental health during exam preparation. While stress is common during UPSC studies, Fabi placed extra pressure on herself to succeed on her first attempt, which led to anxiety and panic attacks. Her mental health worsened due to lack of sleep and excessive laptop use. However, with the support of her family and friends, she overcame anxiety and performed exceptionally well at UPSC.

Inspiration

Fabi Rasheed first learned about civil service at the young age of 14. Her involvement in leadership roles at school and college helped her develop a deeper understanding of the field. She found joy and satisfaction in helping people and improving things, which fuelled her growing interest in civil service.