‘Focus important’: How CUET topper, daughter of ex-minister, prepared for exam

For Devina, the achievement is the culmination of years of academic discipline. “Since childhood, I’ve always been at the top of my class,” she said.  However, she describes the transition from school examinations to CUET as “unexpectedly challenging”. “My board exams ended very late in April, and I barely had a month to prepare for CUET. At the beginning, it was a little overwhelming because there wasn’t a clear way to understand exactly what to study and how to study,” she said.

The biggest adjustment, she added, was moving from descriptive board examinations to an application-based entrance test. “When you study for school, you’re used to writing long answers. CUET is much more conceptual and application-based. Once I understood that difference, the journey became easier.”

Unlike many high-scoring candidates, Devina did not enrol in a coaching institute. Instead, she said, she relied on NCERT textbooks and previous years’ question papers. “I just read my books thoroughly and attempted previous papers. That’s all I did.”

Devina was among candidates affected by a technical issue that delayed an examination session by the NTA in one of her papers “All I would say is that you have to keep your calm and be prepared for anything that happens,” she said. “We just have to not lose our focus.” she said. “For me, what worked was consistency. Instead of studying very long hours every day, I studied consistently. Everyone has good days and bad days. What matters is showing up every day.” she added.

An avid reader and writer, she hopes to pursue English Honours at Delhi University’s St Stephen’s College or Hindu College and eventually explore journalism and creative writing. “I write articles sometimes. I’m very much into reading. Maybe even journalism…,” she said.

Her father, Kailash Gahlot, said the family is proud not only of the achievement but also of the path she wishes to pursue. “As a father, I am immensely proud of Devina’s achievement. Securing All India Rank 1 in CUET is the result of her hard work, discipline and dedication over the years. She has always been a sincere and studious child, and this success reflects the effort she has put into her academics,” he said. He added, “What makes me even happier is that she wants to pursue journalism and creative writing, a field that plays a vital role in society. It is her passion, and I completely support her decision.”

For Devina, the support of her family proved crucial. “They never put any pressure on me to secure any rank or any college,” she said. “All they wanted was for me to give my full potential.”

As congratulatory messages continued pouring in through the day, the teenager admitted she was still processing the result. “I’ve just been so overwhelmed and not able to process it completely,” she said.