UGC NET Preparation Strategy and Tips

Every student starts to get butterflies out of fright on hearing examination. The exam preparation and exam appearing time can turn out to be stressful not only physically but also mentally. The pressure of clearing and outshining the exam is real. With a right approach and preparation strategy you can perform phenomenally while keeping stress at the bay. We have come up with this article for candidates preparing for the UGC NET Exam to help them prepare better.

An effective strategy consist of imbibing the following qualities in yourself 

1. Be informed regarding all facts and updates
2. Inculcate the habit of note making
3. Work on your confidence level

We all are aware that the UGC NET exam preparation is a joy ride. Cracking this exam is a tough task as the paper is structured and designed such that it filters out brilliant candidates capable of being excellent lecturers and research personnel.

Hence, the examinee must put their best foot forward by adopting the right strategies and preparation tips. 

Here I'm presenting you with important and beneficial preparation tips to include in your preparation strategy.

1. KNOW THE SYLLABUS & PAPER PATTERN THOROUGHLY

Syllabus is an integral part of any exam preparation. Knowing and studying the syllabus well would enable you to understand the intricate details regarding preparation and areas of focus. Knowing what to learn gives a broad perspective on how to learn.

Syllabus is the first thing one must look for while preparing for an examination as it forms the body of the entire examination and enables you to shed the fear about its vastness. On the hand paper pattern would enable you to understand the process of attempting the examination. 

2. MANAGE TIME BY MAKING A TIME TABLE

Organized living is the key to happiness and success. Organized schedule will enable you to prioritize your subjects which you wish to work on. This will in turn help to overcome the fear of the difficult subjects. Having an organized schedule shall prevent cluttering of tasks and allow you to take adequate breaks. So preparing a time-table shall put the process at ease.

It will help you to achieve the following

1. It inculcates discipline and makes you value time 
2. It refrains you from wasting time 
3. It helps you complete all the predetermined tasks on time.
4. It enables you to provide due attention towards all chores and subjects.

While making a time table one must consider following tips

1. List the activities you do daily : Listing all the activities of the day help you effectively place them in time slots without missing any.

1. Prioritize important activities : A time table helps you pay enough attention to the activities that are important or work that needs to be completed urgently.

1. Have time for relaxing : An ideal time table must have adequate breaks. This enables the whole schedule to be stress free and less tiresome.

1. Meals and sleep : You must allot required time for both. Avoid reducing the time in order to fit other chores.

1. Make sure your schedule makes you feel happy : Imagine a day you only and only work as a robot and continue doing so. How boring and frustrating can it get? Ensure your time table also consists of activities like playing and doing things you enjoy.

3. BREAKS ARE MUST

Exam preparation can be time occupying, with multiple tasks to accomplish in a single day. But as much as the accomplishment of these tasks are important, so is relaxation. A psychological study states that people with a healthy and relaxed mind, tend to achieve their goals easily. This is because, with a relaxed mind one can have a better focus. And a relaxed mind can be achieved by taking adequate breaks.

One can do so by either doing nothing or by doing something you absolutely love. Doing things that make you happy, releases chemicals and hormones that make you feel happy and fight stress. Therefore, work hard for the examination but also take out time for yourself.

4. CHOOSE RIGHT BOOKS FOR UGC NET EXAM

Choosing the right study material is of great importance yet sometimes students end up referring to multiple books that lead to confusion and only adds to the pile. Deciding which book to use as a standard reference study material can be a tricky proposition.

It is of utmost importance that the studying material used should be standard throughout the preparation. Each book/author has a different undertone and style of explaining a concept and this has a vast impact on the understanding of a subject. One must understand the difference between having multiple study materials and referring multiple books for one purpose.

Your Study material kit for must encompass the following :

1. Reference books : These books must be read from time to time to get hold on the basics of the concept and acquire the required advanced knowledge about the subject.
2. Self made Notes : These form an important study material for revision as it is concisely curated important points, eg etc.
3. Set of old question papers : This will help you have a self assessment.

With the right study material you can easily have a hold on the concepts and subjects. While choosing a reference book it is very important to look out for a book that explains the concept in a way that suits your understanding and grasping abilities.

You may analyze this by reading the introduction of the first chapter. If while reading it you feel it is easy, has comfortable language and you are interested to read more, go for it

5. SELF STUDY & NOTE MAKING

There has always been a question 'Why is self study so important?'. The answer lies in the word 'Self Study'. Self study means to learn and understand yourself, by trying to find the answer of your questions yourself. The understandings or the knowledge gained by self study is much more effective than someone teaching it to you.

Self made notes are the outcome of Self study. They are the points to remember or simplified versions of a concept made by you while studying. These may also involve making a formula list, curating of science diagrams, the grammar tricks, simplified chemistry notes, definitions etc. These form the integral part of your revision.

6. PEER TEACHING

It is reported that the best form of learning and understanding a concept is Peer teaching. There is a lot of fun time we spend with our friends, be it in the school when there's no teacher in the class or be it the group study at a friend's place. So let's take a quick exercise with, read and learn a chapter and try teaching it to a friend. While doing so you shall start having a better understanding of the chapter as well. This is one of the effective preparation tips.

7. STAY UPDATED

It is important to check the website every day in order to stay updated with the new notice or announcements made regarding the exam. Doing so will refrain you from missing an important update and avoid the last minute haslet's. 

8. REVISION

For a good exam preparation always revise regularly. This is a long journey of about a year, and retaining all that you learnt is important but can also be difficult. Revision of the concept you have finished on a regular basis will help you remember them for a longer time. You can adopt the practice of revision after your self study.

9. GIVE EMPHASIS ON SELF ANALYSIS AND SELF IMPROVEMENT

Mistakes are a part of human nature. As it is rightly said "Failure is the next stepping stone to success". We must always learn from our shortcomings and work towards improving them.

There can be areas or concepts that you may find difficult, identify such weak areas and give extra attention towards it. Self analysis and self improvement isn't limited to only this. When you take self assessments or solve question papers you must also take its results in consideration.

10. TAKE ASSESSMENT

Assessment is important to analyze where you stand and work forward. Taking up a test is the best way to gain insights of the areas you are good at and the areas you need to improve. This gives you confidence and motivation to keep improving. Solving previous years exam papers can help immensely. You can also take up the online mock test or online test series for self assessment.

Previous years exam papers are usually only looked upon as a medium of practice. But as a matter of fact they are more than that. They can be effectively analyzed to understand the importance of a particular question or concept with its repetitiveness on the question paper. This analysis shall help in dividing your focus on concepts adequately.

Adopt the right strategies for the upcoming UGC NET exam. Follow these strategies and tips and see yourself clearing the exam with flying colors. All the best!