KOLKATA: A Kolkata girl currently pursuing her doctoral studies from Calcutta University has topped an all India examination conducted to determine eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Lectureship as an assistant professor.
Swarnali Dey, 24, has topped the Joint CSIR-UGC NET examination, considered one of the toughest in the country. The all India examination was conducted in November last year, the result for which was declared late last week. The Dey household in Kanchrapara in North 24 Parganas has not stopped receiving congratulatory messages ever since.
Swarnali who is a travel, music and photography enthusiast, was herself “pleasantly surprised” by the 100-percentile score.
“I was expecting a good result but topping in the entire country has surpassed even my expectations,” said Swarnali who is currently pursuing doctoral studies from Department of Botany in Ballygunge Science College of Calcutta University as a DST INSPIRE Fellow.
“I am very happy with my result and want to pursue teaching just like my parents. It has been my dream since childhood,” said Swarnali.
Her father Biswajit Dey is an associate professor of Commerce at Barrackpore Rastraguru Surendranath College and mother Subarna Dey is a teacher at Springdale Primary School in Kalyani.
“I qualified Joint CSIR-UGC NET in 2019 with lectureship but my target has always been to get a JRF,” said Swarnali.
Swarnali completed her school education from Springdale School, Kalyani and completed Botany Honours from Bethune College where she ranked second in the entire university. She then obtained her post-graduation degree from the Department of Botany, University of Calcutta with a first class first rank in2019.
According to Swarnali, she focused more on important topics than on covering the entire syllabus. She also diligently took the mock tests to sharpen her command over the subject.
“I did not follow any particular strategy to crack the examination. There were days when I was glued to the book and on others I was not. Revising the lessons is one of the most important things,” said Swarnali.
Swarnali is grateful to her teachers and professors in her school, college and university who groomed and helped her.
“My parents are my pillar of strength,” said Swarnali.