UGC NET June 2026 Political Science Topper Interview: How Nidhi Patel Secured 99.15 Percentile and JRF with PW

The UGC NET Political Science June 2026 result brought a major achievement for Nidhi Patel, who secured 99.15 percentile and JRF in the examination. Interestingly, UGC NET was not her only focus. She had been preparing for competitive exams and decided to appear for UGC NET when Assistant Professor vacancies opened up.

In her interview with Physics Wallah, Nidhi shared how she prepared for Political Science, how PW helped her build conceptual clarity, why she preferred limited resources, and how PYQs became an important part of her preparation.

Nidhi Patel’s Journey From UPSC Preparation to UGC NET JRF

Nidhi completed her graduation in Political Science from Delhi University and later prepared for UPSC. She had initially skipped her Master's degree for two years to focus completely on UPSC preparation.

Later, she enrolled in an MA programme through IGNOU. Her first UGC NET attempt was in December 2025, when she missed the NET qualification by just one mark.

When asked about her decision to appear for the June 2026 exam, Nidhi explained:

“Ma’am, mera graduation jo hai wo Political Science mein hi tha DU se. Phir maine UPSC ki preparation kari, toh Masters ko skip kar diya tha do saal ke liye. Phir jab AP ki vacancies aayi toh maine socha ki UGC NET ka de deti hoon. Kya pata kya ho jaaye, aur is baar JRF hi ho gaya.”

Her decision worked in her favour, as she not only qualified UGC NET but also secured JRF with a 99.15 percentile.

How PW Helped Nidhi Build Conceptual Clarity

Nidhi said that one of her biggest challenges was understanding where to begin her UGC NET preparation. Since she had completed her graduation during the COVID period and was pursuing her Master's through an open university, she was looking for a structured starting point.

Her friend recommended PW’s One Shot videos by Chandni Ma’am. These videos helped her understand what different Political Science units required.

“Mera basic jo tha conceptual clarity wali cheez thi, wo basic foundation aapke One Shot videos se hi maine start kiya tha. Mujhe iska bilkul bhi idea nahi tha ki prepare kahan se karun.”

She particularly used One Shot videos for areas such as International Relations, Comparative Politics, Political Theory, IPT, WPT and other Political Science units.

According to Nidhi, the June 2026 paper also showed why conceptual understanding is important along with factual knowledge.

“Facts ke saath conceptual clarity hona bahut zaroori hai. Agar wo nahi hai toh kai baar questions solve bhi nahi ho sakte hain.”

PW UGC NET June 2026 Toppers

Nidhi Followed a Limited-Resources Strategy

One of the strongest points from Nidhi’s preparation was her decision to avoid collecting too many resources. She preferred selecting one main source for each unit and revising it multiple times.

For example, after watching a PW One Shot for a particular unit, she selected a specific resource and continued revising it. Whenever she found something useful in another source or PYQ, she added it to her existing notes instead of creating completely new notes.

“Ek subject ka ek source rakho aap aur usko baar-baar revise karo. Mere videos bhi maine kam se kam chaar-paanch baar dekhe honge.”

She also explained why using too many teachers or sources can sometimes create confusion.

“Aap ek subject ka ek video kahin se dekhte ho, phir wahi video kahin aur se dekhte ho. Toh kya hota hai, bahut saari cheezein mismatch ho jaati hain.”

Her strategy was simple: one main source, regular revision and additions based on PYQs and practice.

PYQs Were a Major Part of Nidhi’s Preparation

Nidhi gave special importance to previous-year questions. However, she did not believe that simply finding the correct answer was enough.

She advised students to analyze every option and understand why an answer was correct or incorrect.

“PYQs jo hai usko bahut achhe se solve karna hai. Har ek option ko analyze karna hai ki ye option kyun sahi hai ya ye statement kyun galat hai.”

For Nidhi, PYQs also helped identify gaps in her preparation. Whenever she came across a fact or concept that she had not studied, she added it to her notes and revised it later.

This approach helped her use PYQs not only as a practice tool but also as a way to improve her overall coverage of the syllabus.

Nidhi’s Approach to Mock Tests

Although her preparation time was limited, Nidhi did attempt several mock tests. She used free All India Open Mock Tests along with some tests from PW and other platforms.

However, her main focus remained on PYQs.

“Kuch mock tests jo free mein available ho jaate hain, jaise All India Open Mock Test, wahan refer kiya tha. PW ka bhi maine kuch use kiya tha. Lekin mainly mera focus PYQs pe tha, kyunki time bahut limited tha.”

Her strategy shows that students do not necessarily need to solve hundreds of mock tests. When time is limited, choosing the right practice material and analysing it properly can be more useful.

How Nidhi Managed Preparation With Other Exams

Nidhi was preparing for other competitive examinations alongside UGC NET. She explained that her preparation was divided into different phases rather than following a fixed daily schedule.

She also said that she genuinely enjoyed studying Political Science, which made it easier for her to study whenever she found time.

“Jab bhi time milta tha mujhe Political Science padhna bahut pasand hai, toh jab bhi time mila Political Science ka kuch padh liya.”

Her experience highlights that consistent preparation does not always require studying for a fixed number of hours every day. Using available time effectively can also make a difference.

Nidhi’s Advice for UGC NET Aspirants

For students preparing for the December 2026 UGC NET exam, Nidhi recommended keeping resources limited and focusing on PYQs, facts and conceptual clarity.

“Resources bahut limited rakhne chahiye per unit, per subject. Ek resource koi bhi final kar lo jo aapko sahi lagta hai.”

She also advised students not to watch marathon classes at very high speed. According to her, students should actively follow the concepts being explained instead of treating lectures as something to finish quickly.

Most importantly, she recommended analysing PYQs carefully.

“Jab aap question solve karoge, toh ye dekhna hai ki option kyun sahi hai aur statement kyun galat hai.”

She also reminded aspirants not to ignore Paper 1.

“Paper 1 ko ignore nahi karna hai. Paper 2 ke liye sources limited rakhne hain aur mehnat karni hai consistency ke saath.”

Nidhi Patel’s 99.15 percentile and JRF qualification show how focused preparation can produce strong results, even when UGC NET is not the only examination on a student’s preparation list. Her strategy of limiting resources, strengthening conceptual clarity, analysing PYQs and revising consistently offers useful lessons for Political Science aspirants preparing for upcoming UGC NET cycles.