University Grants Commission of India (UGC India) conducts the national level open entrance exam called National Eligibility Test (NET) for recruitment in the role of lecturers, associates, research fellows teachers and professors in Indian universities, academic institutes or colleges. Since 2009, NET qualification is a must in the resume of teaching professionals at graduate or post graduate level.
The NET exam qualifies an individual candidate for the following :
a.Eligibility for Assistant Professor in Indian colleges and academic institutes
b.Junior Research Fellowship (JRF)
The standard of NET exam is rigid and tough, considering the mass applicants registering for the exam every year. In 2015, a total of 7,65,031 candidates registered for the NET exam, conducted in 88 cities across the nation.
If that leaves hint how competitive the UGC conducted NET exam is, then here is some smart tips that you can refer to as a NET exam applicant. These promise a good score and healthy result:
Learn the OMR sheet format
One of the exception of the NET exam is the answering has to be done on Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheet. Every question number is printed on the OMR sheet with corresponding options; and one has to fill the circle next to the right answer. Note, only black pens can be used on the OMR sheet you will be provided during NET exam. Pencils are completely prohibited in NET exam. Blue pens can be used only on the top sheet to fill your basic details.
Note the basics
Its very important to make mention of the following on the top sheet of your NET exam answer script.
Applicant name
Applicant’s father’s name
Roll/registration number
Exam center number/code
Physical disability status (only for PwD students)
Date of exam
A miss in the above points, can disqualify you from the UGC NET exam process. Also, on special instruction from invigilators, you may have to add extra points/facts.
Practice model papers, mock tests and previous year question papers
The ideal and primary way to practice for NET exam is to solve model papers, mock tests and previous year papers. These available online from different educational portals or are offered by NET experts and practitioners. Collect these study materials and do practice before the NET exam day.
Emphasize on general knowledge
While you will cover a stipulated syllabus for NET exam, make sure you remain updated about general knowledge and trending news. For this, there is no specific book to refer to, but an eye on radio and television news will help. Newspaper reading is a must practice to crack the NET exam. Nowadays, students also rely on internet to brush their GK.
Pick the right subject
There are almost 80 subjects that you can select from to crack the UGC NET exam. Its important to pick the right subject, in order to score good in UGC exam. Try to opt for subjects that you had during specialization during graduation and masters.
