Shimla’s Damini Sets an Example: Tops IIT PhD Entrance Without Coaching

Shimla, 14 June – Rising from a modest family background to claim the top rank in the national PhD entrance examination for the Indian Institutes of Technology is no small feat, yet Damini Singh Barar of Sanjauli, Shimla, has done just that. Her achievement is a beacon for countless young Indians who dream big with limited resources and no formal coaching—relying instead on hard work and self‑belief.

Damini secured All‑India Rank 1 in IIT Kanpur’s PhD entrance test in Psychology and also topped the written exam and interview at IIT Delhi, where she will now pursue her doctorate.

The journey, however, is about more than exam scores. Damini’s father, Rajneesh Barar, is a sanitation inspector with Shimla Municipal Corporation, and her mother, Meera Barar, is a homemaker. Despite limited means, Damini never let circumstances define her limits, maintaining strict discipline and unshakable confidence throughout her preparation.

Her academic record is equally impressive. She earned a BA (Hons) in English from Delhi University’s Lady Shri Ram College and went on to complete a master’s in Applied Psychology from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. Along the way she cleared the highly competitive entrance exam for NIMHANS, Bengaluru, and passed the UGC‑NET on her first attempt in December 2024—all entirely through self‑study.

“I never relied on coaching,” she says. “With books, research papers, and the internet, I set a daily schedule and stuck to it. There were challenges, but quitting was never an option.”

Damini’s success has electrified the local academic community. Residents of Sanjauli feel a surge of pride, and many students now look to her as a role model.

In an era dominated by costly coaching centres, her story proves that clarity of purpose, discipline, and persistent effort can still outshine every obstacle. As she begins her research at IIT Delhi, Damini hopes to contribute meaningfully to the field of psychology—and her family, teachers, and friends couldn’t be prouder.