How to Prepare for UGC NET English 2023 [Your Roadmap to Success]
I cracked UGC NET English in July 2018 and June 2019. I also passed the NE SLET exam in July 2018. Things have changed in four years. However, the strategy to prepare for and crack the exam remains the same.
When I was trying to figure out how to prepare, one of our seniors passed the exam. Therefore, I congratulated her and asked her about the preparation.
She advised me to read history and every major work. Instead of clarity, it made me more confused.
We cannot read each work line by line. There must be some methods to prepare. Therefore, I will explain how to prepare for UGC NET in English literature.
Question: Is coaching necessary for NET?
It depends on individual requirements, and there is no generalized answer. Some aspirants do not have time and need guidance.
But the problem is many groups are waiting to steal your or your parentβs hard-earned money. It is difficult to distinguish between the real and the fake.
In my opinion, self-study is the best approach. If you invest your money, make sure the teacher is reliable. Find a guide who wants to teach beyond self-interest.
Syllabus
If you look at the syllabus, it is blunt. It makes an aspirant confused. It does not state what to study.
To understand the syllabus, discover what the committee wants you to read. Every exam has a committee that sets the question paper.
The topic they think is necessary for the exam is mandatory for you.
But how would you know that?
You can find the secret only in the previous yearsβ question papers.
If you study the questions, you can figure out what you need to read. I am not asking you to skim the question papers. There is a method for that.
- First, analyze each question carefully and determine the category it falls.
- Second, read all options of a question.
For example,
It is a question from the September 2020 exam.
Mazeppa is a poem by Lord Byron. Therefore, it falls into the category of romantic poetry. It means romantic poetry is a mandatory topic.
Study other poets as well, along with the poem and Byron. The works of Cowper, Shelley, and Coleridge are also necessary.
The reason for following the method is none can exhaust reading literature. You are preparing for an exam, not doing research. Therefore, productive study matters more than blunt preparation.
This method will ease your preparation. Otherwise, you will drain your energy and waste your time.
In this way, examine each question. The method is time-consuming, but it is worth it. The topics give you an idea of what to read and what not. That is the syllabus of UGC NET.
How to Study?
For Every Major Literary Figure, note down the following points:
- Name of the Author.
- Birth and death year of a literary figure and chronology of the literary figureβs works. These are for the basic idea. It is useless to remember the birth and death years of every author. None can do it.
- Read the biography of the author briefly on Wikipedia and their works. Collect information about the person. For instance, Eric Arthur Blair used the pseudonym George Orwell.
How to Read?
You do not need to read each important novel/poem/drama line by line. Instead, read the summary. But, there is a method. We can explain it in the following points:
- What is the full title of the work? For instance, the complete title of Macbeth is The Tragedy of Macbeth.
- Subtitle or alternative title if it has.
- “Which of the following had the alternative title βThings as They Areβ?
- a. Horace Walpoleβs The Castle of Otranto
- b. Mary Shelleyβs Frankenstein
- c. William Godwinβs Caleb Williams
- d. Sir Walter Scottβs Waverley” (December 2018)
- What is the publication year? Is it complete/incomplete work? Who is the publisher? If it is posthumous, then who published it? For example,
- “Which one of the following novels of Jane Austen was abandoned unfinished?
- Northanger Abbey
- Persuasion
- The Watsons
- Emma” (June 2019)
- What is the setting of the work? For instance, the novel The Power and the Glory sets in Tabasco. Its background is an anti-Catholic purge in Mexico during the 1930s.
- “David Maloufβs novel Ransom is based on:
- a. A War Memoir by Edmund Blunden
- b. An Episode in Trojan War
- c. A War Poem by Yevgeny Yevtushenko
- d. An Episode in The Mahabharata” (December 2018)
- What is the significance of the title? For instance, based on Marlowβs description of Africa and its people, darkness in the title Conrad’s Heart of Darkness means the blackness that prevails in the interior territories of Africa. It also implies the darkness that lies in the uncivilized tribes of the Congo.
- Has the author taken the title from another source?
- What is the genre of writing?
- What is the social/political/literary background of the literary text? For example, Wordsworth and Coleridge published Lyrical Ballads to break the monotony of Neo classical poetry.
- Is it dedicated to anyone?
- What is the meter/rhyme scheme of the poem?
- How many parts are there? For instance, Pope divides The Rape of the Lock into five cantos.
- Donβt miss its prologue/epilogue/first line/last line scene if it has.
- For example, “Which post-war British poet ends a poem with the line βGet stewed: Books are a load of crapβ
- a. Philip Larkin
- b. Ted Hughes
- c. Thom Gunn
- d. Craig Raine” (December 2018)
- Focus on the first scene (chapter) and last scene. How does the literary work end?
- Do not forget some quotes and their meaning.
- Understand the major events of the work.
- Find out its narrator and narrative structure.
- Prepare a character list. For example, Nnu Ego is a character in The Joys of Motherhood.
- Define relationship with other characters.
- You can not ignore themes. Study both main themes and minor themes.
Paper I
It is impossible to attempt all 50 questions in the General paper. Ignoring it is a blunder. Most aspirants procrastinate the preparation for the Paper I till the last days. Instead, give equal time to the first paper.
Even if you master paper II but leave the first paper, you can not crack it. Make proper notes like paper II and prepare accordingly.
Study Material
- Gradesaver is reliable, but sometimes it doesnβt have the required information.
- Read every important text on Gradesaver/ Sparknotes/Encyclopedia/Wikipedia.
Toppers Tips
- Having seen the last two papers, I would recommend that you read the history of English literature thoroughly. You can skip literary histories of other countries if you don’t have time, but British literary history should be your first priority. However, if you have an abundance of time, you can also read the histories of American and Indian English literature, but there’s no need to go into great depth.
- Follow Pomodoro Technique. For instance, instead of reading for 60 minutes, take a break for 10 minutes. That means you can divideΒ 60Β minutes intoΒ 50 readings and 10 minutes break.Β
But take no long gap of 2-5 hours. Reading for one hour after taking 5 hours break is counterproductive.Β - No one inherently likes to read, but a topper has moreΒ controlΒ than others. Give importance toΒ disciplineΒ rather than to passion. Do not get emotional about the result
- Keep changing your subjects at least twice a day. It would train your brain to switch from one topic to another for the exam.
- Surround yourself with only those who can help with your study. Toppers will never surround themselves with negative and demotivating people.
The environment directly affects your mood. Therefore, if you donβt have supportive people around you, then make it. You can find them on YouTube. - Take care of the body. Do mildΒ exercisesΒ and take light foods. Avoid packaged foods as much as possible. I used to go for an evening walk if I failed in the morning.
- If you cannot exercise, play your favorite songs and dance. The aim is to circulate blood in the body.
Our brain releases chemicals like serotonin and dopamine if we work out regularly. It improves your mood.
Mood swing is quite common during the preparation. You can tackle it by working out regularly. It also improves memory and concentration and makes you healthy. - Make a list of why you want to pass the exam. Take ten prints and stick them to the places you commonly visit, like the washroom, bed, study table, door, etc.Β
Saving notes digitally saves time. You can edit them, which you cannot do with paper and pen.
The Right and Easy Strategy
Break your goal into small parts.
Splitting your goal into small parts has psychological benefits. For instance, to complete British History in a month, break the goal into small portions. You can plan to complete Elizabethan drama or University Wits in a day.
Achieving a goal before you sleep every day makes you feel satisfied. Trust me, feeling motivated during the journey is crucial.
If you donβt do it, even if you study religiously, you will feel empty after a few days.
I often felt nothing, even if I had studied. When I looked at my progressive report, I felt better.
Therefore, having a visual record of your progress is essential. It inspires you to push hard.
How to Memorize?
Forgetting is neither a curse nor a blessing.
According to the Ebbinghaus Curve of Forgetting, we lose learned information after some time. What you read does not matter unless you revise it.
Therefore,
- revise it immediately after you complete a topic.
- Then repeat it after one day.
- In the third stage, revise it after one week and redo it after one month.
Instead of reading your notes, write them down on a paper whatever you have read. Writing helps us to memorize information faster than reading it.
Revision is too crucial. I did not have time to revise everything I had studied. Therefore, fifteen days before the 2018 June exam, I felt demotivated and gave up.
I sat in the exam because my admission card was in my hand. Thankfully, I passed the exam, but I do not want you to commit the same mistake.
So, I learned that always keep at least one month for revision.
Teaching others is the best way to remember a topic.
Use color in notes. It is visually appealing and easy to scan than the same colored pen or pencil. It can help you remember information effectively.
Gamify Your Preparation
First, set a goal and reward yourself.
Keep a realistic goal and reward yourself after achieving the goal. It is how you can gamify your study and make it fun rather than monotonous.
For instance, reward yourself with a bar of chocolate after successfully revising Elizabethan drama within three days.
You can set rewards such as eating your favorite food, talking with your loved ones, watching a movie, etc. It must be something you enjoy.
But you should not watch a movie just after completing the Elizabethan drama. Instead, reward yourself with it after revising the Elizabethan literature.
The simple reason is rewarding makes your brain release dopamine. After doing it a couple of times, your brain will start to crave it.
It is how big companies play with your brain and make you addicted to using their product.
Sometimes our brain might ask for pleasure without doing it. At this stage, practice delayed gratification and reward yourself after you achieve your goal.
Mock Test
Never ignore mock tests. I did and faced a time issue. You can start with the previous yearsβ question papers. Practicing mock tests plays a vital role in preparation. Otherwise, you will never get your desired result.
General Paper takes a lot of time without practice. Consequently, you will have less time for the next one.
Therefore, practice mock tests as much as you can.
My pattern
When I am embarrassed before someone for making an error, I quickly retain it. I rarely forget the mistake.
I also remember things efficiently when I discuss topics with a person and the person teaches me during the discussion.
So, what is your pattern?
Conclusion
I want to conclude with a quote from Abraham Lincoln:
I loved your content, you gaved so much information and motivation together, thank you so much.π
Manisha, it means a lot to me that you found my content informative and motivating. Such valuable feedback inspires me to keep creating content. Thank you for taking the time to leave such a lovely comment!πππ
This is the best valuable information that I have got from you. I have got lot of motivation and the exact information that I was looking for. Thankyou so much for giving this valuable content.
Thank you so much, Simiπππ. Your comment has truly made my day! I’m thrilled to hear that the information I provided was valuable and motivating for you. It’s incredibly rewarding to know that I could provide you with the exact information you were looking for.
I have got lot of information and motivation form this content there is beautiful line sir “Teacher is the best who can awaken the passion in students heart” and you have create that spark in my hearts form your valuable content I would like to express my deep sense of thanks to you sir for providing exact information may god bless you good show keep it up sir!
Thank you so much, Priyanka, for your kind words and heartfelt feedbackπππ. I am thrilled to hear that my content has been informative and motivating for you. I agree that teachers have the power to awaken a passion within their students, and it is truly fulfilling to know that I may have had a positive impact on you. Thank you again for your gratitude and well wishes, and I wish you all the best in your preparation.
Thank you so much sir. After my kids were born I totally forget how to prepare for an exam. I became too emotional and disappointed even for simple matter. Most of the time I was searching and thinking a lot how am I going to start, and from which scrap should I start my preparation. After seeing your content I truly inspired and got a very good idea of preparing for the ugc exam.Hope your words will lead me to crack the exam.
You are welcome, Vinolia! πππ I am so glad that my content was able to inspire you and give you a good idea of how to prepare for the UGC NET exam. I know that it can be difficult to balance studying with raising a family, but I believe in you! You have already taken the first step by getting started on your preparation, and I am confident that you will be able to achieve your goal of cracking the exam.
I wish you all the best in your studies πππ, and I know that you can do this!
Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need any support.
Thanks so much i really liked your content….
Thank you, Sana π
Insightful & encouraging…wonderful instructions for anyone who wants to Crack the exam fiercely but easily.
Thank you so much.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Jitendra! I’m glad you found the instructions helpful and encouragingπππ.
The article is so genuine and worthy. I will definitely follow all the advice you suggest. Thanks a lot for this beautiful article.β€οΈ
Thank you, Pabitra!π I’m thrilled you’ll be following the advice. Best of luck πππ
Lucid explanation
Very easy to understand.., π
Doyou have YouTube channel?
I’m glad you found my explanation easy to understandπ. I do have a YouTube channel. If you’re interested, you can check it out at https://www.youtube.com/@literaryyog
What a truly insightful and beautifully written post! Your words have a way of resonating deep within, and your passion shines through in every sentence. Your ability to weave together thoughts and ideas is truly captivating. Thank you for sharing your thoughts .You have left me feeling inspired, informed, and grateful. Keep sharing your light!
It is incredibly rewarding to know that my passion and thoughts have inspired and informed you. Your encouragement means a lot to me. I look forward to continuing to share and connect with amazing people like you. Thank you, Priyanka, for your positivity!πππ
Felt so grateful that I found your blog at the right time, when I needed it the most.
You have given such a genuine explanation regarding how one should approach this exam. I also would like to appreciate how you have given certain tricks regarding how we should actually study for the exam and not feel demotivated and continue to prepare for the exam with continued concentration throughout this preparation journey.
Thank You so much!
Thank you, Dikshita, so much for your kind words! I’m truly glad that you found the blog post helpful and timely.
I’m particularly happy to hear that the study tips and motivation strategies have resonated with you.
Wishing you all the best in your preparation journey.
Work hard and smart!πππ