Students aspiring for the UGC-NET English Literature exam often find themselves in a state of confusion.
Questions I am often confronted with are:
- What’s the right time to start preparing?
- What sort of books one must read to crack the exam?
- Whether or not they should enroll in coaching classes?
Indeed, preparing for this exam can be challenging; in most cases, if you are a beginner, it is an overwhelming task. Take the help of a daily planner to track your daily progress.
However, here are some points that will help you in navigating you toward success.
Right Time To Start Preparation
It is suggested that the literature students should immediately start their preparation after completing their graduation.
Of course, some students start their preparations after completing their postgraduation and still crack the exam. But as the competitive exams get tough with time, it is advisable to start preparing as soon as possible.
I do not mean that age causes memory loss, and young students are likelier to crack the exam than older ones.
As time passes and we grow older, there are more responsibilities and less time to study.
Generally, during the initial years as a student, we have more time and support from family to pursue studies with greater comfort and focus.
Moreover, after marriage, many female candidates express concerns about the household work and duties towards their family and in-laws, which limits their time for UGC-NET English Literature preparation.
Do Not Start UGC-NET English Preparation In Graduation
I often receive messages from first-year graduating students regarding courses and preparation strategies that we offer on our Limitless Literature platform.
Like other coaching classes, we could make money out of their pockets, but we let go of such students, advising them to cultivate the habit of reading books.
The students who are young and graduate have enough time to explore books from various genres.
At this time, it is not good to misguide students for the sake of business profits.
- It is a time to get them familiar with the reality. The reality that many students, even PhD holders, do not want to see lies in the habit of reading books as a literature student.
- Focusing on your graduation allows you to develop interest, ultimately contributing to the time you begin your journey for competitive exams.
How Much Time Required To Crack The Exam?
At least six months of committed studies are required to get familiar with all the subjects.
Students must also remember that getting acquainted with the authors, poets, dramatists, and their works does not guarantee exam selection.
Some hardworking students crack the exam after six months of preparation. There are instances of aspirants who cannot crack the exam even after the 5th or 6th attempt.
It is difficult to come up with a straightforward answer. The students who crack the UGC-NET English Literature examination have a strong will, determination, and mindset not to give up.
Why Do Students Take Longer Time Than Expected To Crack The Exam?
As I said, the will of students and the refusal to give up matters most.
Generally, with every failed attempt, the confidence of a student diminishes.
The next time s/he starts preparing for the UGC-NET English exam, it is not with the same will, enthusiasm, and motivation. It becomes a burden after the second or third attempt.
On the other hand, students who crack the exam after their second or third attempt are highly motivated by their failure. Every time UGC-NET hits, they bounce back with heightened willpower, curiosity, and grit to dominate the competition.
Getting command of the subject is alright. Many students work hard and have good knowledge of the issue.
However, UGC-NET Exam success also hinges on a student’s personality, regardless of other factors.
Start With These Subjects
If you have already started preparing for this examination, make it a regular practice to keep referring to the previous year’s questions. By doing so, you will become familiar with the preparation process for this examination.
- The roots of the English Language are in Britain, making British Literature the most essential subject to study.
- With the changing world and growing demand for new perspectives to look at the world with fresh eyes, Literary Criticism and Literary Theory is another subject necessary to prepare for this examination thoroughly.
There are other subjects like Indian Literature, American Literature, European Literature, etc, where you will find at least 3-4 questions from each one of these subjects in the UGC-NET question paper.
In short, studying important subjects is crucial, yet disregarding other issues is not advisable.
Note: Always use authentic books and material without relying too much on random PDFs shared on WhatsApp and Telegram groups.
Coaching Classes And Courses: Mandatory?
While enrolling in a coaching program is unnecessary, it is essential to receive proper guidance as you go through the subjects.
There is a considerable chance that you end up climbing the ladder leaning against the wrong wall simply because mistakes are deemed to happen at earlier stages.
You can either take guidance from experts or platforms assisting (you can also check Limitless Literature for courses and complete a personal guidance program) or engage in group discussions with your friends and seniors who have already cracked the exam.
If you are from a different background, like science or commerce:
1. It is advisable to seek guidance from an expert and enroll in a course without delay to enhance your knowledge of the subject.
2. You have to exert two to three times the effort compared to students with a literature background.
Which Coaching Classes You Should Enrol?
Unfortunately, many students become victims after joining the big names in literature. In the name of study material and books, they only provide the PhD thesis downloaded from the Shodhganga platform.
A PhD thesis on a subject is not suitable to meet the demands of competitive exams.
It is crucial to make informed decisions to avoid ending up with the crap institutions.
Good teachers put effort into creating content; bad ones are hawkers on YouTube.
Blindly following the big names or relying on unauthentic and low-quality study materials can be detrimental.
At Literary Legacies, we strive to provide valuable and informative content for Literature students. We appreciate your feedback and suggestions. If there are any specific questions you would like us to address in our next blog post, let us know in the comment section below.
