Palak Gupta, a UGC NET Hindi Literature aspirant from Madhya Pradesh, achieved an impressive 99.78 percentile and qualified for JRF after multiple attempts. Her journey is a strong example of how consistent preparation, deep subject knowledge, exam-oriented practice, and the right guidance can make a difference.
In her testimonial, Palak openly shared what changed in her preparation, how her previous attempts helped build her foundation, and how Aditi Mam’s classes at JRF Adda strengthened her Paper 1 preparation.
She also shared practical advice for Hindi Literature aspirants, especially those who are afraid of Paper 1 or rely too heavily on shortcuts for Paper 2.
Palak Gupta’s UGC NET JRF Success at a Glance
| Particular | Details |
| Name | Palak Gupta |
| Subject | Hindi Literature |
| Result | UGC NET JRF Qualified |
| Percentile | 99.78 |
| Attempts | Fourth overall attempt; third serious attempt |
| Paper 1 Score | 38 |
| Strong Areas | Logical Reasoning, ICT, DI, Mathematics and Reading Comprehension |
| Key Mentor Mentioned | Aditi Mam |
| Platform | JRF Adda |
| Preparation Approach | Concept clarity, complex question practice, original texts and exam-oriented preparation |
Palak Gupta’s UGC NET JRF Journey
Palak’s success did not happen in a single attempt. She explained that this was her fourth UGC NET attempt overall and her third serious attempt. She had already qualified NET twice, which helped her understand the examination and build a strong foundation.
According to Palak, the major difference this time was not simply studying more. Instead, she learned how to modify her preparation according to the requirements of the examination.
She explained:
“Main ye nahi kahungi ki sirf is attempt ke through mera hua hai. Wo jo previous attempts hain, unka bahut bada role raha hai mera base banane mein.”
She compared her preparation journey to repeatedly hitting a nail with a hammer until it goes into the wall. For her, every attempt contributed something to the final result.
“Aapko agar keel ko thokna hai deewar pe, to wo magic nahi hai. Aapko kam se kam usmein 10 baar hathoda marna padega, tab jaake wo keel deewar ke andar ghusegi.”
Her story shows that unsuccessful or partial attempts can become valuable learning experiences when candidates analyse their mistakes and improve their strategy.
How JRF Adda and Aditi Mam Helped Palak
One of the strongest parts of Palak’s testimonial was her appreciation for Aditi Mam’s Paper 1 classes. She credited Aditi Mam’s teaching for making her Paper 1 preparation stronger, particularly in Logical Reasoning, ICT, Mathematics-related concepts and other areas.
Palak specifically highlighted that Aditi Mam did not limit preparation to easy questions. Instead, the classes pushed her to think about questions from different angles.
Attempt Free PYQs Practice Test Here
She said:
“Aditi Mam ki classes mein mujhe sochna pad raha hai us question ko solve karne ke liye. I need to use my brain.”
This type of preparation helped Palak move beyond simply memorising answers. She felt that the questions in Aditi Mam’s classes required deeper thinking and helped her prepare for the increasing difficulty level of the NET examination.
She further explained:
“Aapko 360 degree ghuma ke questions ko practice karna padega, jo ki Aditi Mam ki classes mein hota tha.”
For Palak, this approach was important because she believed that candidates should not prepare only for easy or predictable questions.
“Easy questions ke peeche mat jaiye, because NET ka level badhta ja raha hai.”
Palak’s Strong Recommendation for Paper 1
Palak was particularly direct when discussing where Hindi Literature students should prepare Paper 1 from.
She said:
“Paper 1 kahan se padho? Main aise kehti hoon, kahin nahi jaana. Aditi Mam ke paas jao.”
She also mentioned that she would share Aditi Mam’s playlist with students who asked her for Paper 1 resources.
This reflects the role Aditi Mam’s classes played in Palak’s preparation, especially in building concepts and practising questions that required analytical thinking.
All India Free Live Test – Click Here
Aditi Mam Helped Strengthen Palak’s Logical Reasoning
Logical Reasoning was one of the areas Palak particularly appreciated. She explained that the concepts became much stronger through Aditi Mam’s teaching.
She said:
“Logical Reasoning mein Aditi Mam se agar aap padhte hain, to mere hisaab se aapka concept itna strong ban jaata hai.”
Palak also said that Logical Reasoning became one of the topics she genuinely enjoyed because the concepts were clear.
For her, this was an important lesson: candidates should not only study a topic because it carries marks. They should also try to understand and enjoy the subject because that can make learning easier and more effective.
Aditi Mam’s Classes Helped Palak Approach ICT With Confidence
Palak also mentioned ICT as another area where Aditi Mam’s teaching gave her confidence.
She recalled topics such as:
- RAM and ROM
- Primary and secondary memory
- ICT-based numerical questions
- Arrangement-based questions
- Other conceptual areas of ICT
She explained that this confidence helped her approach questions that could otherwise seem difficult.
“Ek aur topic jo Aditi Mam ke kaaran mujhe confidence tha… wo tha Computer ICT.”
Her experience highlights the importance of conceptual preparation when questions are not purely factual.
Palak’s Paper 1 Strategy
Palak developed a practical strategy around areas where she could consistently score.
1. Reading Comprehension
Palak recommended not ignoring Reading Comprehension because it can provide relatively dependable scoring opportunities.
Her approach was to practise enough passages so that a good number of questions could be attempted confidently.
2. Mathematics and DI
Palak initially struggled with Mathematics. She openly shared:
“Maths mera bahut kharab tha. Main roti thi Maths mein.”
However, instead of permanently avoiding the subject, she worked on her basics. She even taught Mathematics to students younger than her, which helped her strengthen her own fundamentals.
For DI, she recommended focusing on core concepts such as:
- Ratio
- Proportion
- Percentage
- Division
- Multiplication
Her message to students was simple: do not allow fear of Mathematics to stop you from attempting the topic.
“Aap jo dar rahe ho na ki nahi hoga. Arre kaise nahi hoga yaar, try to karo.”
3. Logical Reasoning
Palak considered Logical Reasoning one of the most important parts of her Paper 1 strategy.
She focused on understanding concepts instead of merely memorising answers. This is where she felt Aditi Mam’s classes gave her an advantage.
4. ICT
Palak also prepared ICT with a focus on concepts and frequently asked question patterns. The confidence she developed in this section helped her create another scoring area in Paper 1.
Palak Scored 38 in Paper 1
Palak’s strategy delivered a strong result. She revealed that across her serious attempts, her Paper 1 score had remained above 35.
This time, she scored:
Paper 1: 38
She directly connected her Paper 1 performance with the preparation approach she had developed over time.
Aditi Mam also appreciated Palak’s consistency and the amount of effort she had put into her preparation journey.
Palak’s Paper 2 Hindi Literature Strategy
While Palak strongly credited Aditi Mam for her Paper 1 preparation, she followed a different approach for Paper 2 Hindi Literature.
Her biggest recommendation was to avoid depending completely on shortcuts.
She explained:
“Shortcuts short term ke liye hota hai, long term ke aapke paas mool text hai.”
For Hindi Literature, she recommended reading the original texts included in the syllabus, including:
- Novels
- Stories
- Plays
- Poetry
- Other prescribed literary works
According to Palak, students should develop genuine interest in the subject instead of preparing only to memorise information for the examination.
She said:
“You need to have interest in that subject if you really want to qualify the exam.”
She also explained that deep reading can help information become part of one’s natural memory rather than requiring constant memorisation.
“Aapne ek baar interest jaga liya, aapne wo kitabein padh li, aapka apne aap ho jayega.”
Palak’s Advice: Don’t Skip the Original Texts
Palak believes that many students make the mistake of leaving original texts because they appear lengthy or difficult.
She recommended doing the opposite.
“Original text ki reading skip kar dete hain bachche… usko aap mat skip kijiye.”
For students targeting JRF, she believes this deeper preparation can become a differentiating factor because many candidates focus only on shortcuts and surface-level preparation.
How Palak Improved After Previous Attempts
One of the most valuable lessons from Palak’s journey is that she did not treat her previous attempts as failures.
Instead, she used them to understand what was missing from her preparation.
She identified that her Paper 2 preparation previously needed to become more exam-oriented. This time, whenever she studied a topic, she followed it with discussion and question practice.
She explained:
“Main koi topic padhti thi, then I used to discuss it and practice questions of it.”
She also recommended solving large numbers of questions from different sources, including Hindi Literature practice material available online.
Her approach was:
Study → Discuss → Practise Questions → Analyse → Repeat
This helped her connect theoretical knowledge with actual examination requirements.
Palak’s Advice on Static Topics
Palak also highlighted the importance of strengthening static topics in both papers.
Her strategy was to develop such a strong command over static areas that even if the question was presented differently, she could still solve it.
She explained:
“Static topics pe aap apni command itni strong kar lo ki wo kuch bhi pooch le.”
This approach is particularly useful for candidates who tend to memorise a fixed set of questions without understanding the underlying concepts.
Palak Also Credits Her University Professors
Palak was clear that JRF Adda and Aditi Mam were not the only sources of support in her journey.
She also credited her professors at Delhi University, particularly Dr. Rishikesh Singh, for playing an important role in her Hindi Literature preparation.
She said:
“Mera jo qualify hua hai Hindi se usmein ek bada role mere professor ka raha hai, jo main Delhi University se padhi hoon.”
She expressed her gratitude towards her professor:
“Dr. Rishikesh Singh Sir, jin ki main zindagi bhar aabhari rahungi.”
Palak encouraged students pursuing an MA to take their university classes seriously instead of assuming that college teaching is not useful for NET preparation.
Her advice was to identify professors who genuinely want to teach and make use of their guidance.
Palak’s Complete Preparation Formula
Palak’s preparation journey can be summarised through a combination of several important factors:
| Preparation Area | Palak’s Approach |
| Paper 1 | Strong concepts and regular practice |
| Logical Reasoning | Concept clarity through Aditi Mam’s classes |
| ICT | Concept-based preparation |
| Mathematics | Worked on basics instead of avoiding the subject |
| DI | Focused on core concepts such as ratio and percentage |
| Reading Comprehension | Practised for consistent scoring |
| Paper 2 | Focused on Hindi Literature and original texts |
| Question Practice | Discussed topics and solved questions |
| Previous Attempts | Used them to strengthen her foundation |
| University Support | Took guidance from professors seriously |
| Exam Strategy | Combined deep knowledge with exam-oriented preparation |
What Made Palak’s JRF Attempt Different?
According to Palak, the biggest change was not a magical new resource or a single strategy.
It was the combination of her previous preparation and better exam-oriented execution.
She had already built a foundation through earlier attempts. This time, she refined that foundation by:
- Strengthening Paper 1 concepts.
- Practising more complex questions.
- Improving her Mathematics basics.
- Building confidence in Logical Reasoning and ICT.
- Practising questions after studying Paper 2 topics.
- Reading original Hindi Literature texts.
- Strengthening static topics.
- Using previous attempts as learning experiences.
- Focusing on the actual requirements of the examination.
Palak Gupta’s Message to Hindi Literature Aspirants
Palak’s journey is particularly relevant for Hindi Literature students who feel that Paper 1 is too difficult or that Mathematics and Reasoning are not for them.
Her own experience proves otherwise.
She once struggled with Mathematics, but gradually worked on her basics. She also developed confidence in Logical Reasoning and ICT through conceptual preparation.
Her message is to stop being afraid of Paper 1 and identify the areas where consistent marks can be built.
For Paper 2, she recommends going beyond shortcuts and developing genuine interest in Hindi Literature.
As she put it:
“Just have the interest. Read the mool text.”
JRF Adda’s Role in Palak Gupta’s Success
Palak’s testimonial highlights how JRF Adda’s academic support, particularly Aditi Mam’s Paper 1 classes, contributed to her preparation.
The key value she highlighted was not simply the availability of study material. It was the emphasis on concept clarity, complex question practice and analytical thinking.
Her recommendation was particularly strong for Hindi Literature students preparing for Paper 1:
“Paper 1 kahan se padho? … Aditi Mam ke paas jao.”
Her 99.78 percentile and JRF qualification reflect the outcome of a preparation journey built over multiple attempts, supported by focused guidance, consistent practice and a willingness to improve.
FAQs on Palak Gupta and Her JRF Adda Experience
Palak Gupta is a UGC NET Hindi Literature aspirant from Madhya Pradesh who qualified for JRF with a 99.78 percentile. It was her fourth overall attempt and third serious attempt.
Palak credited Aditi Mam's Paper 1 classes at JRF Adda for strengthening her concepts, particularly in Logical Reasoning, ICT and other areas. She appreciated the focus on complex questions and analytical thinking rather than only easy questions.
Palak said that Aditi Mam's classes made her think while solving questions and encouraged her to use her reasoning skills. She specifically said, "I need to use my brain", highlighting the importance of conceptual and analytical preparation.
Palak focused on Logical Reasoning, ICT, Mathematics, Data Interpretation and Reading Comprehension. She worked on her Mathematics basics despite initially struggling with the subject and used concept-based preparation to strengthen her Paper 1 performance. She scored 38 in Paper 1.
Palak advised students not to depend completely on shortcuts for Paper 2. She recommended developing genuine interest in Hindi Literature, reading original texts and practising questions after studying each topic. She also encouraged students not to fear Paper 1 and specifically recommended Aditi Mam for Paper 1 preparation.
