Preparing for NET-LS & JRF
From June, 2011 CSIR-UGC (NET) Exam for Award of Junior Research Fellowship and Eligibility for Lecturership shall be a Single Paper. The Exam should be conducted in one session of 3 Hours. The question paper is divided in three parts.
Section-A (MCQ)-30 Marks
Section-B (MCQ)-70 Marks
Section-C (Objective)-100 Marks
Writing the Examination Section A & B (100 marks)
These sections of NET contain multiple choice questions you have to finish 50 out of 70 questions in 90 minutes.
A-section contains 20 questions out of these you have to attempt 15 questions each carrying 2 marks, total Score = 70. This section comprises (MCQ's) on General Sciences.
B-Section is of Life Sciences, 50 MCQ's are asked in examination; you have to attempt 35 questions each carrying two marks, total Score = 70. Thus, Section A (30) & B (70) scores for 100 marks.
The section-B now includes the entire Life sciences syllabus given by CSIR. In this examination pattern demanding more from the candidates. But here is more time and you can choose at your disposal, for A-section 5 question and 15 questions from B-section you can keep optional. This could be a blessing in disguise as one need not study the subject objectively and then subjectively.
First, attempt the questions that you are sure about and then attempt other. There is 0.25% negative marking, so that you should avoid questions which you cannot sure. Don't be hurry and overlook the questions and its options, read it carefully and understand, go through all options and select the appropriate one.
With regard to the section-A (General Sciences), try to recall your higher secondary, physics, chemistry, mathematics, computer science. If you are not comfortable with any of these, don't worry; put some common sense and logic to attempt the question. Let us set the target for this section as at least 10 correct answers out of 20 questions.
I am suggesting here, you must collect and make habit to read the monthly magazine "Science Reporter," published by NISCAIR unit of CSIR, you can avail it from Wheeler's Book stall on Railway Stations, Price is just Rs.15, or it is also available online, this magazine cover entire basic concepts in sciences. I feel this magazine is immense use to all the readers and I am sure you will enjoy reading it.
Syllabus for Section-A
Maximum Score = 15 × 2 = 30 marks
Section A shall contain 20 General Science questions. These questions shall be common to all subject areas of NET Examination. A candidate shall be required to answer a maximum of 15 questions fro Part A. In case a candidate answers more than 15 questions, only the first 15 answered questions will be taken up for evaluation. All questions shall be of 2 marks each. There will be negative marking for wrong answers.
Part B
Maximum Score = 35 × 2 =70 marks
Part B shall have 50 questions. A candidate shall be required to answer a maximum of 35 questions. In case a candidate answers more than 35 questions, only first 35 answered questions shall be evaluated.
All questions shall be of 2 marks each. There will be negative marking for wrong answers. The entire syllabus of Life Sciences of this examination is applicable to this section.
Section-C
This part shall contain 75 questions, each carrying FOUR marks EACH, that are designed to test a candidate's knowledge of scientific concepts and/or application of the scientific concepts. The questions shall be of analytical nature where a candidate is expected to apply the scientific knowledge to arrive at the solution to the given scientific problem. A candidate shall be required to answer any 25 questions. Each question shall be of four marks. The total marks allocated to this section shall be 100 out of 200.
Follow the syllabus thoroughly. If you are not able to finish all the content given, at least make confident that you know some of the concepts in each unit. It is always better to confer with your peers who have gone through this process.How to Avoid a Disaster?
They say "when the going gets tough, only the tough get going". So cover the difficult, yet important, portions of the subject to score a maximum. Prepared candidates survive in all situations and objective type questions demand good practice (unless, of course, you are a genius)!
Though we cannot say anything about the cut off marks, but you keep your target above 75% marks in overall examination. At the same time leave your thoughts about the performance in the A and B section and do well in the Section with a clear and sound mind. Some may have a tendency to give it up feeling defected about your performance during the day. Also be cool in your approach to the exam and never give up during the examination by doing things like answering all the multiple choice questions randomly base on luck, feeling defected of your performance. There is ample time to prepare and perform well. And from experience, many have come out successfully even after believing that they did perform very poorly.
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Improve Your Memory With These Great TipsBefore you study for your next exam, you might want to use a few strategies to boost your memory of important information. There are a number of tried and tested techniques for improving memory. These strategies have been established within cognitive psychology literature and offer a number of great ways to improve memory, enhance recall and increase retention of information.
1. Focus your attention on the materials you are studying.
Attention is one of the major components of memory. In order for information to move from short-term memory into long-term memory, you need to actively attend to this information. Try to study in a place free of distractions such as television, music and other diversions.
2. Avoid cramming by establishing regular study sessions.
According to Bjork (2001), studying materials over a number of session’s gives you the time you need to adequately process the information. Research has shown that students who study regularly remember the material far better that those did all of their studying in one marathon session.
3. Structure and organize the information you are studying.
Researchers have found that information is organized in memory in related clusters. You can take advantage of this by structuring and organizing the materials you are studying. Try grouping similar concepts and terms together, or make an outline of your notes and textbook readings to help group related concepts.
4. Utilize mnemonic devices to remember information.
Mnemonic devices are a technique often used by students to aid in recall. A mnemonic is simply a way to remember information. For example, you might associate a term you need to remember with a common item that you are very familiar with. The best mnemonics are those that utilize positive imagery, humor or novelty. You might come up with a rhyme, song or joke to help remember a specific segment of information.
5. Elaborate and rehearse the information you are studying.
In order to recall information, you need to encode what you are studying into long-term memory. One of the most effective encoding techniques is known as elaborative rehearsal. An example of this technique would be to read the definition of a key term, study the definition of that term and then read a more detailed description of what that term means. After repeating this process a few times, your recall of the information will be far better.
6. Relate new information to things you already know.
When you are studying unfamiliar material, take the time to think about how this information relates to things that you already know. By establishing relationships between new ideas and previously existing memories, you can dramatically increase the likelihood of recalling the recently learned information.
7. Visualize concepts to improve memory and recall.
Many people benefit greatly from visualizing the information they study. Pay attention to the photographs, charts and other graphics in your textbooks. If you do not have visual cues to help, try creating your own. Draw charts or figures in the margins of your notes or use highlighters or pens in different colors to group related ideas in your written study materials.
8. Teach new concepts to another person.
Research suggests that reading materials out loud significantly improves memory of the material. Educators and psychologists have also discovered that having students actually teach new concepts to others enhances understanding and recall. You can use this approach in your own studies by teaching new concepts and information to a friend or study partner.
9. Pay extra attention to difficult information.
Have you ever noticed how it's sometimes easier to remember information at the beginning or end of a chapter? Researchers have found that the position of information can play a role in recall, which is known as the serial position effect. While recalling middle information can be difficult, you can overcome this problem by spending extra time rehearsing this information or try restructuring the information so it will be easier to remember. When you come across an especially difficult concept, devote some extra time to memorizing the information.
10. Vary your study routine.
Another great way to increase your recall is to occasionally change your study routine. If you are accustomed to studying in one specific location, try moving to a different spot to study. If you study in the evening, try to spend a few minutes each morning reviewing the information you studied the previous night. By adding an element of novelty to your study sessions, you can increase the effectiveness of your efforts and significantly improve your long-term recall.
