3 min readKolkataJul 24, 2025 05:45 PM IST
First published on: Jul 24, 2025 at 05:45 PM IST
Nilufa Yasmin, a resident of Katwa’s Palita Road area in Purba Bardhaman, West Bengal, has secured the top rank in the UGC NET JRF June 2025 exam with a perfect 100 percentile.
A research scholar at Burdwan University, Yasmin is working on the intersection of music and literature in the Middle Ages. This was her third attempt at the exam: she persisted with fresh preparation each time.
“I am very happy. I had hoped I would do well but never thought I would top,” Yasmin told The Indian Express, “My guide and professor of the Bengali department, Ramenkumar sir, has always encouraged me to focus on my studies.”
A lover of music, Yasmin likes to upload videos of her performing on social media. She now hopes to pursue a career in academia. (Express photo)
“In the last two years, I faced problems with math and English because we lose touch, so I would advise everyone to practice English for the first paper. And for the second paper, text study is very important,” she said.
Yasmin, who has consistently stood first in examinations throughout her academic career, comes from a family of educators. Her father, a high school teacher, recently retired, and her mother also taught at school.
A lover of music, she likes to upload videos of her performing on social media. She now hopes to pursue a career in academia.
“My family is very happy and excited. My parents and sisters are calling me and telling me about all those who are calling them or visiting our home,” she said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee congratulated the toppers on social media: “Congratulations to Nilufa Yasmin of Katwa in Purba Bardhaman for scoring 100 percentile and securing first position in India in UGC–NET June, 2025 (with) Bengali, and to Rikta Chakraborty of Kolkata for securing second position in India in UGC-NET June, 2025 (with) Mass Communication and Journalism. Your achievements have made our state proud. Congratulations to your parents/guardians and teachers too.”
Reacting to the post, Yasmin said, “I could not believe that the Chief Minister had congratulated me. I am so happy that she is so busy but she remembers us… that means a lot.”
The UGC NET is a national-level examination conducted to recruit Assistant Professors, award the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), and admit candidates to PhD programmes in Indian universities and colleges.
In the June 2025 session, 10,19,751 candidates registered for the exam, with 7,52,007 appearing. Of these, 5,269 qualified for both JRF and Assistant Professorship, 54,885 qualified for Assistant Professorship and PhD admission, and 1,28,179 qualified for PhD admission only.
A lover of music, Yasmin likes to upload videos of her performing on social media. She now hopes to pursue a career in academia. (Express photo)
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