Kolkata : In the midst of growing concerns over linguistic discrimination and the targeting of Bengali-speaking migrant workers in various parts of India, a young scholar from West Bengal has sent out a strong message — through the power of academic excellence, reported the enews room.
Nilufa Yasmin, a 26-year-old PhD student from Katwa, West Bengal, has topped the UGC NET-JRF 2025 examination in Bengali, securing a perfect 100 percentile. Her achievement is not just a personal milestone but also a symbolic triumph at a time when Bangla speakers are facing marginalisation across several Indian states.
Currently pursuing her doctoral research on Moddhojuger Bangla Sahitya (Medieval Bengali Literature), Nilufa’s success reflects both perseverance and passion for her mother tongue. In an interview with eNewsroom India, she revealed that this was her third attempt at the NET exam. While she had cleared the NET in her previous two attempts, she narrowly missed the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) each time.
“When I sat for the exam on June 26, I had a gut feeling that I would finally crack the JRF,” Nilufa said. “But I never imagined I would top it.”
Coming from an academic family — with both her parents being educators — Nilufa says she was always encouraged to pursue education, but never pressured. “I used to study at night, sometimes till dawn. My father would see me awake and tell me not to overwork myself,” she recalled.
Despite scoring above 90% in both Madhyamik and Uchcho Madhyamik (Class 10 and 12 board exams), she chose the Arts stream over Science, drawn by her love for music and Bengali literature. “Everyone advised me to take Science, but I followed my heart,” she said.
Her preparation, she insists, wasn’t based on any rigid schedule. “Some days I studied for hours, and some days I took breaks. Whenever I felt stuck, I would call my mother, and she would calmly assure me, ‘Don’t worry — you’ll get a perfect score this time’.”
In addition to her academic pursuits, Nilufa is a trained Rabindra Sangeet singer and runs a YouTube channel where she shares her music. “Singing is what helps me stay grounded and motivated,” she said.
Nilufa hopes her journey will inspire other girls to pursue their academic dreams fearlessly. “The JRF not only supports your PhD but also gives you financial independence. I encourage every girl who dreams of research and teaching to aim for it,” she added.
At a time when identity politics threaten linguistic and cultural diversity, Nilufa Yasmin’s success stands as a poetic form of resistance — reaffirming that the mother tongue is not a barrier, but a bridge to brilliance.
