CSIR NET June 2026 Chemical Sciences Topper Lakshita’s Story: Secured AIR 21 With PW

Lakshita secured AIR 21 in CSIR NET June 2026 Chemical Sciences with 147.5 marks and a 99.90 percentile. What makes her result even more interesting is that she prepared for the exam in just one month while pursuing her MSc at IISc and working on her research project.

During her interaction with Physics Wallah, Lakshita shared how her IIT JAM preparation gave her a strong base, while PW lectures helped her cover the additional topics required for CSIR NET. She also spoke about focusing on her stronger areas, practising mock tests and making careful choices during the exam.

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Lakshita Secured AIR 21 in CSIR NET June 2026

Lakshita scored 147.5 marks in CSIR NET June 2026 Chemical Sciences and secured AIR 21 with a 99.90 percentile.

Interestingly, she prepared for the exam for only around one month. At the time, she was pursuing her MSc at IISc and was also working on her research project.

During the PW interaction, when asked how she managed such a score with only one month of preparation, Lakshita said:

“Honestly sir, mujhe bilkul nahi lag raha tha ki itne marks aa sakte hain, because maine sirf one month prepare kiya tha.”

She explained that her days were quite busy as she went to the lab from morning to evening and studied after returning.

“Main morning se evening tak lab mein hoti thi, then evening and night mein I was studying.”

Her previous IIT JAM preparation gave her a foundation, which she then used to prepare specifically for CSIR NET.

How Lakshita Prepared for CSIR NET in One Month

Lakshita had already prepared for IIT JAM in 2025, so she had notes and a basic understanding of Physical, Inorganic and Organic Chemistry.

Instead of starting everything from the beginning, she first revised her JAM preparation and then focused on the additional topics required for CSIR NET.

She explained:

“JAM kind of basic hai. CSIR NET mein uske upar thode advanced topics add ho jaate hain.”

Why Lakshita Focused More on Physical and Inorganic Chemistry

With only one month available, Lakshita did not try to give equal time to every topic. She first identified the areas where she was more comfortable and then worked on strengthening them.

She focused more on Physical and Inorganic Chemistry, while taking a more selective approach towards Organic Chemistry.

“Meri Organic thodi weak hai, so maine Physical aur Inorganic pe zyada focus kiya. Maine socha jo mera strong hai, usko main achhe se prepare karun.”

She also kept the choice-based nature of the examination in mind.

“NET mein generally options milte hain, so mujhe laga ki agar main apne strong areas ko achhe se kar leti hoon, toh main questions choose kar sakti hoon.”

Lakshita’s CSIR NET Question Attempt Strategy

Lakshita followed a simple approach during the examination: don't get stuck on one question for too long.

She attempted the paper in the order of Part A, Part B and Part C. If she did not know a question or felt that it was taking too much time, she skipped it and moved ahead.

She said:

“Jo nahi aa raha tha, uss par time waste nahi karna tha. Just skip and move ahead.”

Lakshita Scored Full Marks in Part A

One of the highlights of Lakshita's performance was her score in Part A, where she secured 30 out of 30 marks.

She did not prepare separately for General Aptitude. Coming from a PCM background, she was already comfortable with mathematics and reasoning-based questions.

When asked how she prepared for Part A, she said:

“Sir, main PCM background se hoon. Most of the questions mathematics and reasoning ke hote hain, so maine separately kuch prepare nahi kiya.”

She also felt that the Part A questions in this attempt were relatively manageable.

Her focus was to attempt the questions without spending too much time on any single one.

How Lakshita Attempted Part B and Part C

Lakshita followed the same strategy in Parts B and C. She first attempted the questions she was confident about and skipped the ones that were taking too much time.

She attempted 22 questions in Part B and 24 questions in Part C. In Part C, 20 of her attempted questions were correct, and 4 were incorrect.

Explaining her strategy, she said:

“Pehle jo aa raha hai, woh karte jao. Jo nahi aa raha hai, usko skip karo. Baad mein time bachega toh wapas aa sakte ho.”

How PW Helped Lakshita Prepare for CSIR NET

Lakshita used her PW batch after revising the topics she had already studied for IIT JAM. She used PW lectures to cover the advanced CSIR NET topics that were not part of her earlier preparation.

She also used mock tests and PYQs to practise after completing the relevant topics.

“JAM ke topics maine pehle revise kiye, uske baad PW ke lectures se jo advanced topics the, woh kiye.”

Her preparation shows how students can use a focused learning source when they have limited time instead of trying to study from several books and platforms at once.

Lakshita’s Advice for Students Preparing Without IIT JAM

During the interaction, Lakshita was asked how much time a student who had not prepared for IIT JAM might need for CSIR NET.

She said that students starting from the basics should give themselves more time and follow a consistent routine.

“Agar koi zero se start kar raha hai aur poora din preparation ko de sakta hai, toh I think three months can be enough, provided dedication hai.”

For students managing college along with preparation, she suggested giving themselves around six to eight months, depending on their routine and preparation level.

The important point, according to her, is not to compare your timeline with someone else's.

“Agar college bhi hai, toh aap apne liye six, seven ya eight months rakh sakte ho. Bas ek proper setup bana ke uske according prepare karo.”

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Lakshita’s Advice to BSc and MSc Students

Lakshita also shared advice for students who are currently pursuing their BSc or MSc and want to prepare for CSIR NET.

Her suggestion was to take the college syllabus seriously rather than studying only from an examination point of view.

“Jo bhi BSc ya MSc mein padh rahe ho, usko properly padho. Aisa mat socho ki sirf exam ke liye padhna hai.”

She shared that some questions in her CSIR NET paper were from concepts she had studied as part of her MSc coursework.

“Ek-do questions aise the jo maine CSIR NET ke syllabus mein nahi padhe the, but course work mein padha tha. Mujhe yaad tha, toh maine woh question kar diya.”

For students, this is a useful reminder that strong conceptual understanding from regular college studies can also help during competitive examinations.

What Is Lakshita’s Next Goal After CSIR NET?

After securing AIR 21 in CSIR NET June 2026, Lakshita plans to complete her MSc and explore further opportunities in her field.

She also mentioned her interest in appearing for GATE and exploring PSU opportunities.

“Abhi mera focus MSc complete karne par hai. GATE bhi dungi aur aage opportunities explore karungi.”

She is also continuing her research project at IISc, where she is getting practical laboratory exposure along with her academic coursework.

Lakshita’s Message for CSIR NET Aspirants

Lakshita's journey shows that preparation time alone does not decide the result. Her one-month preparation worked because she already had a strong foundation from IIT JAM, identified her stronger areas and used her available time carefully.

Her advice to students is to stay focused on what they can realistically cover.

“Jitna bhi padho, dedication se padho aur strategy ke saath padho. Randomly preparation mat karo.”

She also believes students should make the most of whatever time they have rather than regretting that they started late.

“Aapke paas jitna time hai, usko use karo. Apna 100% do, so that baad mein regret na ho ki maine try hi nahi kiya.”