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5 attempts, 100 percentile: Panjab University research scholar Diksha Makkar secures All India Rank 1 in UGC-NET

Diksha Makkar completed her BA (Honours) from PG Government College for Girls, followed by a Master’s degree from Panjab University.

2 min readChandigarhUpdated: Feb 11, 2026 03:04 PM IST

A resident of Ambala, Diksha said she attempted the exam with a clear strategy, focusing on weekly and monthly practice along with regular revision. (Credit: LinkedIn/Diksha Makkar)

Diksha Makkar, a PhD research scholar in the Department of Public Administration at Panjab University, Chandigarh, has secured All India Rank 1 in the UGC-NET, with a 100 percentile score in public administration. This was her fifth attempt, following three years of preparation.

A resident of Ambala, Diksha said the achievement was not easy. She said she attempted the exam with a clear strategy—focusing on weekly and monthly practice along with regular revision. She added that students must set a routine, remain consistent, and keep their goals clear.

While Diksha’s father, Rakesh, is a businessman involved in social work, her mother, Shikha, supports the family business. Her brother, Vineesh, runs a start-up in Bengaluru. Diksha credits her parents, friends and teachers for her success, saying her family kept motivating her through the difficult phases.

Diksha acknowledged the contribution of her research supervisor, Dr Bharti Garg, and said she took online coaching from Begi Ram of Himachal Pradesh. She completed her BA (Honours) from PG Government College for Girls, followed by a Master’s degree from Panjab University, and is currently pursuing her PhD.

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Diksha, who aspires to become an IAS officer and plans to appear for the UPSC examination, is also a member of the District Child Welfare Council.

A Kathak artist, she has been associated with teaching nearly 1,000 children, having begun her dance journey under guru Anju Miglani.

As a child, Diksha, along with her family, organised a charity dance show that raised around ₹1 lakh for cancer patients and for differently abled children. Diksha said it is important to balance passion and studies, but emphasised that education should never be compromised.

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