The UPSC NDA exam is just around the corner. With just over a month to go before the exam, it can be difficult for candidates to prepare. There may be some students who have confusion about the syllabus while some have problems with revision, anyway you can still take the exam. I always believe that “hoping costs you energy, action creates energy”, which is why these 30 days are yours – go all out and make the most of it.
Here’s an action plan for the next 30 days that will boost your energy and help you focus to pass this exam.
Concept is key
There is often a myth with competitive exams that only the smart candidates with the best grades are successful. We’ve seen candidates of all types pass the NDA exam, provided they had one thing in common: control over drafts.
Some candidates begin their preparation for the NDA exam in grade 11 while others start later. But the most important factor determining your success in this exam is your energy and focus over the past 30 days. You can easily get conceptual clarity in days by referencing NCERTs and reviewing them over and over. UPSC asks most of NCERT’s questions. If you go through these thoroughly and clear up your concepts, there is nothing that can stop you from passing the NDA exam.
Young candidates preparing for the NDA exam should keep in mind that those who keep their cool and are able to keep their cool in difficult situations and circumstances have an edge over others. Candidates should not let the pressure of the exam or syllabus interfere with their flow. They need to keep themselves calm and have confidence in themselves.
Mock tests are important
Given the scarcity of time, many candidates prefer not to conduct mock tests. However, this is the right time when candidates should give themselves a real exam-like experience. If possible, they should try full trial tests with full focus. They should also practice on OMR sheets. Due to lack of practice with OMR sheets, many candidates mark the wrong option even though they know the correct answer. Such errors should be minimized. Candidates can even solve the papers of last year’s NDA exam at home or try free mock tests with various online platforms available such as Safalta.
Revision is essential
Candidates are not allowed to record anything new in the past 30 days. The focus should be on reviewing key topics from basic sources such as NCERTs and your own notes, and practicing key questions as often as possible.
One or two topics they haven’t covered won’t make much of a difference in the final exam. They can make up for those topics by working on their strengths and minimizing negatives. You should aim for a score between 300 and 320 points, as the NDA limit is usually in this range.
Make daily goals, focus on the task at hand
This applies to all phases of the exam. Instead of worrying about exam day and immediately looking at the comprehensive syllabus for the NDA exam, break the task down into mini-tasks. Understand and divide the syllabus to prepare a study plan according to the weight given to different subjects in the exam.
NDA written exam consists of two papers, Mathematics and General Aptitude Test. Please allow sufficient time to study and review both documents. Go about a day at a time. Focus on daily goals and work at maximum productivity for the past 30 days. The NDA exam is very easy to clear if you plan it well and stay focused. The action plan for candidates can be as follows:
General studies/knowledge: Daily time – 2 hours to 2.5 hours
The day program of candidates must have time for the GS section. They have to work on mistakes they made in the test tests taken earlier. Review the NCERTs and also refer to the explanation of answers to questions in the mock test. Special attention should be paid to scientific sections. NCETS of grades 9 and 10 are very helpful in this exam. Candidates must go through the factual information contained in these books.
Math: Daily time – 3 to 4 hours
During these last 30 days, a lot of time should be invested in math sections. This section has a very high return and candidates score well here as compared to the GS section of the NDA examination. Candidates are required to review key topics and key questions and also focus on the previous year’s questions.
UPSC often repeats questions that can save time on exams for those well-versed in last year’s questions. The main topics candidates should focus on are – trigonometry, algebra and calculus.
English: Daily time – 2 hours
Focus on solving last year’s questions and reviewing rules and tricks.
Candidates must have a plan of action ready. They have to make sure that every day and every week of these last 30 days is accounted for.
Exercise is the key
Candidates must now rely on solving questions related to these topics. Clear your concepts and practice as many questions as you can. Even if you don’t feel comfortable with a few topics, don’t sleep. The questions you practice will allow you to eliminate the wrong answer or at least guess the possible answers. Exercise is also an effective way to review and master topics you are comfortable with.
Work on the mistakes
Candidates must review key topics, but they must also give sufficient time to questions they got wrong in several mock tests. Understand your performance in the mock tests, write down your mistakes and make sure to review your mistakes and concepts related to them every other day. This is a good way to minimize the mistakes in the real exam.
Get enough sleep and adjust the schedule
Often the candidates compromise with sleep and with the schedule. Lack of sleep and sleep cycles other than the natural ones turn out to be counterproductive. On most days, candidates should sleep 8 hours or at least 6 hours a day. They should also get into the habit of getting up early and being productive during the day. This ensures that they are the most observant and have the best mental abilities during the exam.
The NDA exam is definitely a tough exam to crack and hence candidates should be confident and confident in their hard work. With a positive outlook, you can make the most of the past 30 days and do your best for the exam.
— The article is written by Himanshu Gautam, CEO and co-founder of Safalta.
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