Breaking away from the conventional reliance on coaching classes, 26-year-old Damini Singh Brar from Sanjauli, Shimla, has achieved extraordinary academic success. Without any formal coaching, Damini has secured All India Rank 1 in the PhD Psychology entrance at both IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur. She also cleared the UGC-NET Psychology exam in her first attempt in December 2024 and qualified for the NIMHANS Bengaluru PhD interview after passing its written exam. She will now pursue her PhD from IIT Delhi, having topped both the written and interview rounds.

Damini’s academic journey is as impressive as her self-preparation. A former topper in the Class 12 board exams in the Shimla region, she earned her undergraduate degree in English from Lady Shri Ram College (DU) and her postgraduate degree in Applied Psychology from TISS Mumbai. Alongside academic excellence, she has gained practical field experience through internships and jobs at institutions like Indira Gandhi Medical College, Jagruti Rehab Centre, CORO India, and Akanksha Foundation. Currently working as a psychologist at ZorbaCare Rehabilitation Centre in Pune, she focuses on de-addiction, mindfulness-based therapy, CBT, and trauma-informed practices.

Damini’s achievement especially makes inspiring is her background and approach. Coming from a humble family, her father a sanitation inspector and her mother a homemaker, she prepared without any private tuitions or coaching centres. Her success is the result of structured planning, self-discipline, and a clear passion for psychology and social impact. By topping some of India’s most competitive academic entrances, she has not only defied traditional norms but also emerged as a role model for students across the country who lack access to expensive coaching but dare to dream big with consistency and commitment.