#CareerBytes: Tips to help you prepare for UGC NET exam
The UGC National Eligibility Test (NET) is a national-level exam conducted to select candidates for the post of Assistant Professor or both Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Assistant Professor in Indian universities and colleges. The difficulty level of the exam is high as it's designed to scrutinize whether candidates possess the knowledge required for holding these positions. Here are some tips for NET preparation.
Thoroughly understand the syllabus for proper preparation
NET is conducted in two phases: Paper-I (General Aptitude Questions) and Paper-II (questions related to the subject chosen by candidate). As it involves a vast syllabus, aspirants should have proper planning and systematic approach to cover all the topics. They should go through the undergraduate/postgraduate level topics of the subject they choose. To score high, they must know the latest syllabus and exam pattern.
NET Paper-I and Paper-II questions
The questions in Paper-I are based on General Aptitude Questions that test the candidate's Reasoning Ability, Comprehension Reading, Mental Ability, and General Awareness. Coming to Paper-II, questions are related to the subject chosen by the candidate; the syllabus varies from subject to subject.
Prepare short notes for better retention and quick revision
Candidates can prepare short notes while studying which will help them revise the topics and concepts they have learned in a short time. They can write down topic-wise points, facts, and other important things in a separate notebook for quick reference. After learning all the concepts and topics, they should revise on a regular basis which will help them retain the information for longer.
#3: Choose the best books and study material
It is important for candidates to refer good books for NET preparation as per the prescribed syllabus. Candidates can also take help of study material available on many websites. Also, one shouldn't wander out of the syllabus or refer too many books to avoid confusion.
Solve previous NET question papers and take mock tests
Candidates must develop the habit of daily revision to perform well in NET. Also, they should regularly solve previous question papers sample papers to test their knowledge. Aspirants can take mock tests to familiarize themselves with the exam pattern, assess the difficulty level, and know latest questioning trends. This will also help them analyze their performance and work on getting better at weaker areas.
#5: Developing time management skills is extremely important
Those appearing for UGC NET must learn to manage and utilize their time well. They must not postpone their study/revision sessions as it leads to piling up of work and increase the burden. They should spare at least 4-5 hours for studying/revising every day.
