Beginners guide to UGC NET
UGC NET is an examination that is conducted by the NTA (National Testing Agency) twice, every year. The two cycles are usually in June and December of every year.
When does the June cycle start?
The June cycle starts from 13th June till 22nd June, 2023.
Public notice From #UGCNET Exam
Date of examination as per below –Dec2022=21 Feb To 10 March 2023
June2023=13June To 22 June 2023 pic.twitter.com/NHAZc7JtH1— Employment News Rajasthan (@rajeduboard) January 6, 2023
When does the application open?
The applications are currently open and will remain so till 17th January, 2023. The candidates can apply online at ugc.nta.nic.in.
What is NET for?
“National Testing Agency (NTA) will conduct UGC-NET December 2022 for ‘Junior Research Fellowship’ and eligibility for ‘Assistant Professor’ in 83 subjects in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode.”- M Jagadesh Kumar, UGC Chairperson.
NET (National Eligibility Test) is a test that is undertaken by those pursuing their post graduation to check their eligibility for ‘Assistant professors’ and ‘Junior Research Fellowship’. Those who fall in the top 6% will be eligible for Assistant Professor and those in the top 1% will be eligible for JRF (Junior Research Fellowship). JRF is a fellowship where students who pursue M.Phil or PhD are paid a fixed stipend by the Government.
The exam usually has two papers- one general (which is qualifying in nature) and one subject paper (specific to the subject the candidate is appearing for).
In order to receive either of the awards, the candidate has to get the minimum qualification marks.
How to start preparing?
The preparation approach should be different for both the papers as one is a general paper and the other is subject-specific. This is how you can go about preparing for the Paper 1 of NET.
-
Read the papers
Keep your current affairs and general knowledge in check for the first paper. A light reading everyday and making some notes side by side will go a long way in keeping you ahead of the game.
Read More- Ways to Adapt to Another Country: Advice to Foreign Students
-
Practice! Practice and Practice!
There is nothing that helps more than practicing from previous year question papers. Looking at the previous year questions help us to understand the format and pattern better. As the questions tend to follow a certain pattern, the more you are familiar with it, the better you score.
-
Time Management
The key to acing any competitive exam is the ability to manage time properly. To finish the paper on time and save some time for review is the key challenge. To better prepare for this, give mock tests. The mock tests will help us finish the exam in the stipulated time so that we can do the same in the examination hall as well.
-
Look at reference books
As the first paper is general and covers a wide rand of topics, it is best to prepare with a reference book in handy. Look at the topics they cover and expected questions from each topic and make your notes for them. Refer to atleast two reference books by different publications to get a better idea.
-
Make your notes!
For the subject-wise paper it is important to go back to the basics and get your notes in order. Look at previous year questions and note down the important pointers. As the examination is MCQ, simple one liner as notes will be more effective than paragraphs. The focus these days are also on practical aspects, so look at questions from an analytical point of view as well. Highlight important points so that it is easier to revise.
Though these few tips will help you with your performance, there is no shortcut to success. The hard work you do in the few months before the exam will help you make a career after your post graduation.
So, best of luck and happy studying!
