UGC NET Preparation 2023: Tips, Exam Pattern, Best Books

Selva Kumar
Selva Kumar

Updated on - Jan 17, 2024

Latest Updates for UGC NET

  • 28 March 2024 :

    UGC NET Application Form 2024 is expected to be released by the first week of Apr 2024.

  • 28 March 2024 :

    UGC has approved NET scores for PhD admission from the academic session 2024-25.

UGC NET preparation tips 2023 are important for candidates to ace the exam and acquire the Junior Research Fellowship or the Assistant Professor post in universities and colleges across India. UGC NET 2023, conducted by the National Testing Agency, is taken by many candidates, but only a few students qualify for the exam due to the level of competition. 

In the previous year, around 12 lakhs candidates had applied for the exam, but only 6 lakhs appeared, out of which only 52,857 candidates qualified. Therefore, the candidates must have a proper exam preparation strategy and follow it way ahead of UGC NET 2023 exam.

Table of Contents

UGC NET 2023 Preparation Tips

UGC NET 2023 is an important exam for the candidates who intend to get a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) or a post of Assistant Professor in the universities and colleges in India. The exam preparation strategy consists for tips for passing the exam, the best books to refer to, sample test papers, previous years' question papers, and a study schedule. We have listed certain preparation tips for UGC NET 2023 candidates below to make it easy for them to qualify for the exam.

Make Notes Frequently

Regular note-taking is encouraged while candidates are getting ready for UGC NET 2023. The applicants will benefit from taking notes by writing down the ideas and formulas that they find difficult to remember. Candidates will be able to review these topics whenever and wherever they want by having brief notes.

Time Management

Time management is the key to success. Aspirants will have to write two papers to plan their course of action, dividing time for each question. Also, do not spend too much time on one question, which may reduce the chances of covering the rest of the questions.

Analyze Previous Years' Question Papers

Solve previous years' papers and mock papers for UGC NET. This will give the candidates an idea of how the questions in the exam will be framed. Changes in the question papers can be well predicted over the years if practised diligently.

Use of Flashcards

To enhance memory retention, candidates can use flashcards. Preparing these for the important concepts that are hard to memorize can be very useful. They can paste them on a wall to take their preparation to the next level.

Revision

Candidates must be sure to update their daily study programme. It is crucial for the applicants to go over everything they have learned because doing so will help them be well-prepared for the exam. Candidates should spend more time reviewing the challenging and crucial subjects. The preparation process of the students will significantly change after a few hours each week of consistent revision.

Healthy Schedule

The applicants should make sure to take good care of their health in addition to having a well-planned programme for exam preparation. Sleep should never be sacrificed because it will keep candidates' minds open to learning new things. Candidates must also have a healthy diet in order to perform effectively because they need to be in good physical condition.

UGC NET 2023 Reference Books

One of the best ways for candidates to prepare well for examinations is to thoroughly read reference books and practice them. To help with UGC NET 2023 exam preparation, candidates can go through the below-mentioned books, which can be of help to ace the exams.

UGC NET 2023 Reference Books for Paper 1

The reference books for UGC NET 2023 paper 1 are as follows.

  • CBSE UGC NET/SET/JRF – Paper 1: Teaching and Research Aptitude by KVS Madaan
  • Trueman's UGC NET/SET General Paper I by M. Gagan and Sajit Kumar
  • UGC NET/SET Paper 1 by McGraw Hill Education
  • UGC NET/JRF/SLET General Paper-1 Teaching & Research Aptitude by Arihant Experts
  • CBSE UGC-NET: Teaching and Research Aptitude-JRF and Assistant Professor Exam Guide (for Paper-I) (CBSE UGC (NET) JRF & Asstt. Professor Exam) by Dr M.S. Ansari & RPH Editorial Board
  • UGC-NET (Paper-I) 50 Practice Papers (Solved) by Ramesh Publishing House
  • UGC NET/SET (JRF & LS) 14 Years' Solved Papers Teaching and Research Aptitude Paper-I

UGC NET 2023 Reference Books for Paper 2

UGC NET 2023 recommended books for paper 2 are below.

  • Political Science: Trueman's UGC NET Political Science by KA Babu and Sajit Kumar
  • Philosophy: Trueman's UGC NET Philosophy by A.M. Tripathi 
  • Sociology: Trueman's UGC NET Sociology by S.Hussain
  • Commerce: Trueman's UGC NET Commerce by Parveen Kataria, Anshu Kataria and M. Shivani
  • Education: Trueman's UGC NET Education by GaganManocha
  • English: UGC NET/SET (JRF & LS) English Literature Paper II & III by Arihant Experts (Author),‎ Third (Editor)

UGC NET Previous Years' Question Papers

UGC NET previous year question papers are available on several platforms like the internet and reference books. All candidates must solve the question papers from previous years given on this page, before appearing for the main exam. 

Being thorough with the syllabus does not mean that a candidate is well prepared for the upcoming exam. A candidate's preparation is incomplete if they have not attempted the question papers from previous years. Here are some of the advantages of solving UGC NET Previous Years' Question Papers: 

  • Familiarization With UGC NET Exam Pattern: The candidates must know the number of questions that will be asked in the question paper, the type of questions, and the marking scheme. 
  • Time Management: A candidate has 180 minutes to solve 150 questions. Several times, candidates waste a lot of time on one question and end up unable to attempt all the questions. Solving UGC NET previous years' question papers would help them come up with an effective time plan. 
  • Repeated Questions: The candidates will observe and understand which questions are repeated. 
  • Important Topics: Repetition of certain questions would allow candidates to analyze which topics are important. They will understand which topics to give more attention to. 
  • Self Assessment: Solving UGC NET previous years' question papers available online is the best way to assess one's preparation. The candidates will understand their strengths and weaknesses, and have a chance to work on them before appearing for the main examination. 

Mock Tests for UGC NET 2023 Preparation

There are several advantages of solving UGC NET mock tests online. Candidates can find them on the official website, as well as various other sources, for free. The reasons why candidates should not appear for the UGC NET 2023 exam without solving the sample question papers are given below.

  • Hands-on experience of what the actual exam will be like. The candidates will understand the type of questions that will be asked in the exam and the pattern of the UGC NET question paper.
  • A chance to enhance the candidates' preparation further. If they score well, this will act as a confidence booster. If they don’t, there’s still time to improve.
  • The best way to revise. The questions and the end of every textbook test students' contextual knowledge and understanding. Like that, the mock tests will help candidates recall everything they have learned in a non-monotonous way.
  • Helps in building up speed. The candidates will have three hours to attempt all the questions asked in the exam. At least half of the candidates complained that the paper was too lengthy, ran out of time, and failed to answer all the questions. To avoid that situation, it is advised that candidates solve as many UGC mock tests as they can. Practice will build their speed, and they can attempt all the questions without difficulty.

LIVE APPLICATION FORMS

logo
Vogue Institute of Art and Design

Design

(Total Fees) Rs. 3.58 LPA

APPLY NOW
logo
Jaipur National University, [JNU] Jaipur

B.TECH, M.TECH, BSC, BHMCT, B.COM, BCA, BBA, LLB, BA, B.DES, BALLB, BBA LLB ( Hons), BTTM, Certificate Courses, Advanced Certificate Courses, Diploma, M.SC, MBA, MCA, PGDCA, LLM, MSW, MA, PGD

(Total Fees) Rs. 4.64 LPA

APPLY NOW
logo
SMUDE - Sikkim Manipal University Distance Education

BA, MA in English, MA in Political Science, MA in Sociology, B.Com, M.Com, MCA

APPLY NOW
logo
Karnavati University

BBA

(Total Fees) Rs. 8.25 LPA

APPLY NOW

YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN

Upcoming Education Exams VIEW ALL

MGU CAT 2024

Exam Date: May 17, 2024

Popular Exams

Latest Articles on UGC NET

Latest News on UGC NET

Loading...