As congratulatory messages continued pouring in through the day, the teenager admitted she was still processing the result. "I've just been so overwhelmed and not able to process it completely," she said.When Devina Gahlot (17) opened her Common University Entrance Test (CUET-UG) 2026 scorecard on Tuesday afternoon, the first thing that caught her attention was a string of perfect scores. The next was disbelief.The daughter of former Delhi Transport Minister and Bijwasan MLA Kailash Gahlot, Devina emerged as the top scorer in this year’s CUET-UG, a nationwide examination taken by lakhs of students seeking admission to undergraduate programmes.“I checked my application number a couple of times just to be sure…,” she said, recalling the moment she realised she had secured the highest aggregate National Testing Agency (NTA) score in the country — 1232.19 — across five subjects. “I was not able to believe my eyes.” Her subjects were Economics, English, Fine Arts, Political Science and Psychology. She secured 100 percentile in Economics, Political Science and Psychology, and 99.9 percentile in the remaining two subjects.For Devina, the achievement is the culmination of years of academic discipline. “Since childhood, I’ve always been at the top of my class,” she said. However, she describes the transition from school examinations to CUET as “unexpectedly challenging”. “My board exams ended very late in April, and I barely had a month to prepare for CUET. At the beginning, it was a little overwhelming because there wasn’t a clear way to understand exactly what to study and how to study,” she said.The biggest adjustment, she added, was moving from descriptive board examinations to an application-based entrance test. “When you study for school, you’re used to writing long answers. CUET is much more conceptual and application-based. Once I understood that difference, the journey became easier.”Unlike many high-scoring candidates, Devina did not enrol in a coaching institute. Instead, she said, she relied on NCERT textbooks and previous years’ question papers. “I just read my books thoroughly and attempted previous papers. That’s all I did.”Devina was among candidates affected by a technical issue that delayed an examination session by the NTA in one of her papers “All I would say is that you have to keep your calm and be prepared for anything that happens,” she said. “We just have to not lose our focus.” she said. “For me, what worked was consistency. Instead of studying very long hours every day, I studied consistently. Everyone has good days and bad days. What matters is showing up every day.” she added.Story continues below this adAn avid reader and writer, she hopes to pursue English Honours at Delhi University’s St Stephen’s College or Hindu College and eventually explore journalism and creative writing. “I write articles sometimes. I’m very much into reading. Maybe even journalism…,” she said.Her father, Kailash Gahlot, said the family is proud not only of the achievement but also of the path she wishes to pursue. “As a father, I am immensely proud of Devina’s achievement. Securing All India Rank 1 in CUET is the result of her hard work, discipline and dedication over the years. She has always been a sincere and studious child, and this success reflects the effort she has put into her academics,” he said. He added, “What makes me even happier is that she wants to pursue journalism and creative writing, a field that plays a vital role in society. It is her passion, and I completely support her decision.”For Devina, the support of her family proved crucial. “They never put any pressure on me to secure any rank or any college,” she said. “All they wanted was for me to give my full potential.”As congratulatory messages continued pouring in through the day, the teenager admitted she was still processing the result. “I’ve just been so overwhelmed and not able to process it completely,” she said.Vidheesha Kuntamalla is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She is known for her investigative reporting on higher education policy, international student immigration, and academic freedom on university campuses. Her work consistently connects policy decisions with lived realities, foregrounding how administrative actions, political pressure, and global shifts affect students, faculty, and institutions. Professional Profile Core Beat: Vidheesha covers education in Delhi and nationally, reporting on major public institutions including the University of Delhi (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia, the IITs, and the IIMs. She also reports extensively on private and government schools in the National Capital Region. Prior to joining The Indian Express, she worked as a freelance journalist in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for over a year, covering politics, rural issues, women-centric issues, and social justice. Specialisation: She has developed a strong niche in reporting on the Indian student diaspora, particularly the challenges faced by Indian students and H-1B holders in the United States. Her work examines how geopolitical shifts, immigration policy changes, and campus politics impact global education mobility. She has also reported widely on: * Mental health crises and student suicides at IITs * Policy responses to campus mental health * Academic freedom and institutional clampdowns at JNU, South Asian University (SAU), and Delhi University * Curriculum and syllabus changes under the National Education Policy Her recent reporting has included deeply reported human stories on policy changes during the Trump administration and their consequences for Indian students and researchers in the US. Reporting Style Vidheesha is recognised for a human-centric approach to policy reporting, combining investigative depth with intimate storytelling. Her work often highlights the anxieties of students and faculty navigating bureaucratic uncertainty, legal precarity, and institutional pressure. She regularly works with court records, internal documents, official data, and disciplinary frameworks to expose structural challenges to academic freedom. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2024 & 2025) 1. Express Investigation Series JNU’s fault lines move from campus to court: University fights students and faculty (November 2025) An Indian Express investigation found that since 2011, JNU has appeared in over 600 cases before the Delhi High Court, filed by the administration, faculty, staff, students, and contractual workers across the tenures of three Vice-Chancellors. JNU’s legal wars with students and faculty pile up under 3 V-Cs | Rs 30-lakh fines chill campus dissent (November 2025) The report traced how steep monetary penalties — now codified in the Chief Proctor’s Office Manual — are reshaping dissent and disciplinary action on campus. 2. International Education & Immigration ‘Free for a day. Then came ICE’: Acquitted after 43 years, Indian-origin man faces deportation — to a country he has never known (October 2025) H-1B $100,000 entry fee explained: Who pays, who’s exempt, and what’s still unclear? (September 2025) Khammam to Dallas, Jhansi to Seattle — audacious journeys in pursuit of the American dream after H-1B visa fee hike (September 2025) What a proposed 15% cap on foreign admissions in the US could mean for Indian students (October 2025) Anxiety on campus after Trump says visas of pro-Palestinian protesters will be cancelled (January 2025) ‘I couldn’t believe it’: F-1 status of some Indian students restored after US reverses abrupt visa terminations (April 2025) 3. Academic Freedom & Policy Exclusive: South Asian University fires professor for ‘inciting students’ during stipend protests (September 2025) Exclusive: Ministry seeks explanation from JNU V-C for skipping Centre’s meet, views absence ‘seriously’ (July 2025) SAU rows after Noam Chomsky mentions PM Modi, Lankan scholar resigns, PhD student exits SAU A series of five stories examining shrinking academic freedom at South Asian University after global scholar Noam Chomsky referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an academic interaction, triggering administrative unease and renewed debate over political speech, surveillance, and institutional autonomy on Indian campuses. 4. Mental Health on Campuses In post-pandemic years, counselling rooms at IITs are busier than ever; IIT-wise data shows why (August 2025) Campus suicides: IIT-Delhi panel flags toxic competition, caste bias, burnout (April 2025) 5. Delhi Schools These Delhi government school grads are now success stories. Here’s what worked — and what didn’t (February 2025) ‘Ma’am… may I share something?’ Growing up online and alone, why Delhi’s teens are reaching out (December 2025) ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:New Delhi