New Delhi, July 28, 2025
Hailing from Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, Dr. Laxman Singh has achieved a unique academic milestone by cracking the UGC-NET in 13 distinct subjects—his most recent being Archaeology in the June 2025 session—all without the aid of formal coaching. His past successes span subjects like Political Science, Sociology, Drama (with JRF), and Indian Culture.
What sets his journey apart is not just the number of qualifications, but where he began. Once a struggling student who failed several school and college exams and graduated with a modest 39% score, Dr. Singh transformed his trajectory through sheer determination and an insatiable thirst for knowledge. He later earned both an MPhil and PhD from Jamia Millia Islamia, conducting fieldwork in Nepal on Dalit art traditions.
Remarkably, Singh has also cleared the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) entrance exams 33 times across different disciplines—not for admission, but to assess and challenge his own learning. His academic pursuits extend into religion, literature, and history, including time spent studying Persian in Iran and researching Zoroastrian communities and Indian spiritual philosophies abroad.
Beyond academics, Dr. Singh has been active in social advocacy, from organizing forums on sex workers’ rights to participating in the Raid De Himalaya motorbike rally. A former JNU gold medalist in powerlifting, he also recently co-produced Sweatpants, a Hollywood film highlighting the experiences of undocumented Indian immigrants in the U.S.
Currently aiming to attempt 25 more UGC-NET exams, Dr. Singh hopes his journey encourages students to value the pursuit of knowledge above academic rankings. “Your report card doesn’t dictate your destiny,” he says. “You don’t need to top your class to make an impact as a thinker.”
