Government sector is the best option for a secured future and also for a thriving career. This is why many fresh graduates try their luck in Government Jobs. In India, exams for recruitment in Government jobs are now resuming after the six months lockdown period. Here are some effective tips on how to prepare for exams like SSC, UPSC, Railways, Banking and other such government job exams.
Have a proper understanding of the syllabus and its level
A host of exams are there to appear for. You need to know the exam syllabus, cut off or expected marks to crack them. Figure out which of these include topics you already know. Those are the exams that you will be able to perform well in; once selected start preparing. However, setting a goal and achieving it are not same. It requires a lot of hard work and will power to reach the goals. Also it is important to start your preparation early so that you can mark down your weak areas, work to improve on them and still have 1 – 2 months before the exam for a whole syllabus revision.
Preparation strategies for main four sections
Government job exams have three major topics – General Knowledge, Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude.
General Knowledge section
Do not take this topic lightly as it plays a decisive role in these exams. To prepare well read NCERT books on History (Class 6-12), Geography (Class 6-12), Science (Class 6-10), Social Science (Class 6-10). Reading two or more newspapers including Times of India, Hindustan Times, and The Hindu, daily is mandatory. Do practise previous years’ test papers. Read in details topics like awards and their fields, Noble Prize winners, list of Bharat Ratna Awardee, discoveries and inventions, countries currency and capital, list of important days and dates, famous national parks and wild life sanctuaries in India.
Logical reasoning section
Reasoning is extremely important a section in all these competitive exams. Sadly it is totally absent in school and college education; hence candidates struggle to master this skill while preparing for government job exams.
Logical reasoning assesses the mental strength with judgment skills of candidates and is one of the most scoring sections where putting your presence of mind with some tricks can fetch you full marks. Questions in this section are somewhat tricky but take less time if practiced well.
Try to cover these topics in the first month – Arrangement of Words, Distance and Direction, Logical Venn Diagram, Coding-Decoding and Analog. In the second month do these – Blood Relations, Operations, Series, Syllogism, and Paper Cutting. In the third do these – Ranking/ Arrangement, Missing Number, Alphabet Series, Embedded Figures and Completion of Figures. Also, don’t attempt questions you are unsure of if there is negative marking and write the easy ones first as they will take less time. Important chapters to practise for this section include Number Series, Data Sufficiency, Coding and Decoding, Seating Arrangements, Blood Relations and Directions.
Quantitative aptitude section
There are MCQ questions in this part. There is in most cases negative marking for wrong answers. There is no set path to prepare for this section. It is very important to keep basic concept clear, as the questions can be asked from anywhere. Important chapters include – Data Interpretation, Profit and Loss, Time and Work, Simplification, Simple Interest and Compound Interest etc.
Try to cover these topics in the first month – Simple Interest, Algebra Part 1 & 2, Time and Work, Pipes and Cistern and Percentage. In the second month do these – Boat and Stream, Average, Geometry, Mixture and Allegation and Ratio and Proportion. In the third do these – Number System, Data Interpretation, Trigonometry, HCF and LCM and Sequence and Series.
English section
The most important thing is to develop a good skill in grammar and vocabulary. Try to cover these topics in the first month – Tense, Noun, Pronoun, Synonym/ Antonym and Cloze Test. In the second month do these – Verb, Adverb, Interjection, and Preposition. In the third do these – Subject-Verb Agreement, Idiom and Phrases, Participle, Infinitive and Gerund.
General strategies for preparation
Separate out topics
Once you have made the selection, start your preparation by categorising topics according to their level of difficulty. Divide them into tough and easy topics.
Strong topics first
Start with the tough topics as they will take more time to learn. Revise the formulas and basic concepts for all the topics. Cover the important sections of the exam like Maths, English & General Knowledge which are important for all Government Job Preparation Exams. Spend two hours daily for reasoning ability and general knowledge, four hours for quantitative aptitude. Maintain a daily study time of eight hours.
Previous year papers
Once topics are well prepared solve previous year questions from the tough topics. It will help you assess your preparation level. In addition, it will build confidence and keenness for further preparations.
Practice mock test
Take as many mock tests as possible. It will improve your speed and accuracy and help understand the gaps in your preparation.
Move towards weak topics
Once the tough topics are taken care of fully, concentrate on the easy ones. Choose topics on weightage and type of preparations needed. Make sure that your preparation is building your concept on the topics. Revise the basics first, and proceed to the complex concepts. Practice previous year questions to improve speed and accuracy.
To do list when exam is 15 days apart
At this time you must focus solely on taking mock tests. Keep a close eye on your preparation and find out where the gaps exist. Make use of the last 15 days by improving your concept and maximizing your performance level. Try and attempt two to three mock tests every day to optimize your preparations. Revise thoroughly, not revising is the biggest mistake made. Highlight important topics you want to revise and make short notes and short tricks
To do list for exam day
Once in the exam room, stay confident. Watchfully scrutinise the paper. Start by solving the easy questions first and then attempt the complex ones. As you go to the tougher questions, opt for those you think have more chances of accuracy. Do not attempt questions you are unsure of if there’s negative marking and always, attempt lengthy questions later once you finish the short ones. It is important to know short tricks to quickly solve question. Follow GK quizzes daily on the net to remain up-to date with the topic. Never write answers in a hurry, make sure to read the full question, think and then answer.
Throughout the exam keep a tab on time. Last but not the least; you can make use of mnemonics or pictorial method (spider diagram – in which the topic is in the middle and sub-topics with arrows pointing outwards.)
Explore the web for study material
Study material available online is very productive and helps students learn on their own. Online study material includes e-books, PDFs, previous year questions, online mock tests, online tests series, and video lectures, especially on YouTube etc. Today, more and more candidates study online instead of taking tuitions. E-learning websites, are also equally good.
Fill up application form
Remember to fill up the form before date. By no means, miss the dates. Set multiple reminders to get notified about upcoming exam dates.
Cracking an Interview
Cracking interviews needs intense preparation. Confidence is the key for any interview. Prepare by doing mock interviews with friends or family members.
The above mentioned smart strategies can be highly effective in cracking the government job exams. With hard work, strategic planning, and time management you can be sure of performing well in the exams and landing up with your dream job.
Good luck!