UGC NET SLET CSIR FAQ

I receive many help desk tickets asking me how to clear this tough UGC NET SLET CSIR examination.

Many tell me that they have tried a number of times and had written most of the answers correct and are still not clearing it.

I can understand how you feel. I cleared NET in the first attempt but that was long time ago. Now UGC NET examination is getting tougher every time.

There are more people taking the UGC NET examination and only a small percentage clear the exam every time. This percentage, I was told, is calculated on the basis of number of vacancies available and number of people taking the exam.

So if UGC decides to clear 16% of test takers at a given time, the cut off marks can even be 90%. Lakhs of aspiring lecturers all over India take the examination and in your particular subject there may be more or less, depending on how popular that subject is as a course of study.

Supppose one lakh students are taking the UGC NET examination in Management, about 1600 will clear the exam and 84,000 will have to appear again. The cut off point will depend on the overall competence of the test takers of that particular exam.

What do you need to do to stand a good chance of clearing the examination?

The first paper in UGC NET as well as Paper IA of CSIR is a general paper common for all subjects. You can easily prepare for this by going through the syllabus and checking out similar materials from other competitive examination. Or you can use the material specially prepared:

UGC NET Paper I Study Materials

UGC CSIR Paper I Study Materials

For the objective paper on your own subject, you need to be able to make a good guess which is the correct choice out of the four choices given.

Usually in multiple choice answers, one answer can be thrown out right away as a useless choice. That is the obvious wrong answer. Then you may be able to discard another choice after a little thinking.

This will leave you with two choices and at times you may think both appear to be the correct answers. Here is where you have to make a quick decision and decide which is the correct answer.

For this a lot of practice is needed under time pressure. Whenever you study you should make it a habit to note down two things that can be compared, that are similar with one slight difference, that are likely to confuse you at the time of examination, etc.

For example, in English it may be the works of two authors, in Mathematics or Chemistry it may be a formula and in History it may be dates and places. Put yourself in the examiners place while studying. Try to prepare some multiple choice questions for yourself to get an idea of the whole process. (If you do prepare some questions send them to me at www.askrangoo.com and I will share it with everyone).

Prepare for the essay questions and the multiple choice questions separately as well as in conjunction. That is, simulate the examination condition at home and time yourself for essay questions and multiple choice questions. Keep two separate files for the points you have collected for both types of examinations.

But at the same time, you need to keep both in mind while studying. Suppose you are preparing an essay for Paper III and you come across a question that appears to you to be good enough for a multiple choice question, immediately note it down in the appropriate file.

Important: Here is something you should keep in mind. Failure in UGC NET CSIR does not make you a less intelligent person or a bad student / teacher.

Once I showed the English UGC NET paper to a DR. R from UK who had had teaching experience of many, many years in London. Dr. R said, “I will fail this exam, if I had to take it”. Dr. R is a great teacher, well experienced, thorough in the knowledge of English Literature.

Every examination has its own requirements (and its own limitations). You need to understand them well and prepare yourself in a well-planned manner. The whole experience of preparing yourself for the examination should result in such a learning that is useful for you in life. Whether we clear an examination or not, just by going through a process we learn important lessons to tackle information, knowledge, situations and problems.

And you should learn from each failure. Do not repeat the same process as if you are doing it the first time. Every time you attempt something, you should draw on your past experience. You should compare your present understanding with your past experience and decide some do’s and dont’s for yourself. Your future should build on the firm foundations of your past.

Great People Have Failed A Number of Times The only difference is - They never gave up. They persisted until they succeeded. They learned from every experience, especially their failures.

I wish you all the very best for a successful learning experience. Pass this on to your students and do not look down upon them when they are unable to complete the tasks you give them. Help them learn from every experience.