Together they dreamt, together they conquered

When the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) announced just three vacancies for the post of Drug Inspector, most aspirants would’ve seen long odds. But for Busthana, Swabeeha, and Thansiya, it was the perfect challenge. Former classmates turned study partners, the trio set themselves a bold target, `Let’s claim all three.'

Two and a half months later, that’s exactly what they did. When the results came out, Busthana secured Rank 1 Swabeeha bagged Rank 2 and Thansiya followed with Rank 3.

The three first met during their M.Pharm days at Kozhikode Pharmaceutical College. After graduating in 2023, they went their separate ways until the PSC notification brought them back together.

They launched a WhatsApp group called ‘Drug Inspector Notes’, which became their virtual classroom. Notes were shared, doubts were cleared and even the interview phase was prepped via group chats and video calls.

“Combined study really lightens the load. You divide the syllabus share strengths and keep each other focused,” says BusthanaAttention gets diverted on studying alone; but that problem is not there in combined studying.

Their preparation strategy was simple but disciplined. A detailed exam calendar was drawn up by breaking down each day’s portions based on the time left. Each of them took charge of the subjects they excelled in and explained tough concepts to the others.

“We often ended up on calls from morning till evening,” laughs Swabeeha.“Twelve hours were strictly for study. Seven hours for sleep. The rest of the time went to family.”

The final 10–15 days were reserved exclusively for mock tests and interviews, with each of them quizzing the others in real-time.

Quick revisions
For Thansiya, the biggest advantage of studying together was the revision that happened just by listening to others explain. They also stuck short notes and key points on their walls , a visual cue that reinforced learning throughout the day.

Today, all three have already joined duty as Drug Inspectors in Thiruvananthapuram. Busthana and Swabeeha hail from Kozhikode, while Thansiya is from Alappuzha.