How to Prepare for a PhD Entrance Exam for Top-Notch Universities?

By Sakshi Ojha|Updated : May 23rd, 2023

When it comes to cracking a ph.d entrance test, you have to be very careful and firm with your study planning. It requires a certain level of concentration, hard work and focus, combined with the right strategy. Otherwise, you can miss the important bits and can get confused or can waste your precious time. Many institutions are going to invite applications for PhD entrance examinations soon. Students need to be prepared by all means. In this article below you will find some tricks and tips to crack the examination along with an insight into PhD syllabus and Pattern of the examination. Happy Learning!! 

 Here are a few steps to simplify your preparations. 

Know your syllabus: 

Instead of studying from the word go, take some time to understand the Ph.D. entrance syllabus. Understanding what the topics that are expected to be covered in paper 1 are and why helps make a much better strategy to prepare for the examination. Point out your weak topics and the topics which you know and understand well. You can prepare for the strong ones easily so now you know where you have to give your maximum time and effort.

Syllabus for Ph.D. entrance - 

The syllabus of the entrance differs from university to university but the general syllabus is, research and teaching aptitude for paper 1 and the graduation and post-graduation course for your subject-specific paper.  

PART 1: 

Research Aptitude -

  • Research-Meaning
  • Types and Characteristics
  • Steps of Research
  • Methods of Research
  • Research Ethics
  • Paper, Article
  • Conference & Seminar
  • Workshop and Symposium
  • Thesis writing: Its characteristics and format

Teaching Aptitude:

  • Teaching
  • Learner’s characteristics
  • Factors affecting teaching 
  • Methods of teaching in Institutions of higher learning
  • Teaching Support System
  • Evaluation Systems

Make sure you are thorough with the research methodology section as it will also be helpful for your interview once you crack your examination. 

PART 2: 

  • Part of the exam paper will include the course from graduation and postgraduate of your subject. 

Know the Exam Pattern:

It is indeed very important that you know and understand your exam pattern. It will be your first step in your preparation. If you get confused or the pattern is not clear to you, you might face trouble in actually understanding what and how to set your study plan for Ph.D. entrance.

Pattern for Ph.D. entrance - 

There are two papers for the examination:

  • Part 1 would be common just like UGC NET and consists of 50% of the total exam paper. It will consist mainly of research questions, teaching aptitude, current affairs. Now, some universities just have research in part 1 and some have the course exactly like UGC NET, it differs from institution to institution. 
  • Part 2 will be subject-specific and the questions will be of graduation and post-graduation level. And it will be the next 50% of the paper. 
  • In some entrances, it can be all MCQs i.e. objective questions and in some cases, there are both objective and subjective.
  • The total duration could be 2 or 3 hours depending on the no. of questions.  

Find the right study material:

If you get your hands on the right study material, it will increase your chances of success in the examination by at least 40%. You need to be very careful while looking for the study material. Make sure you do not waste your time on so many books. Carefully assort a set of books which should include one or two reference books and the basic course book for your post-graduation course. 

Have a timetable:

This is the top priority if you really want to crack your entrance test.

Set weekly and monthly goals:

If you are struggling to study on a daily basis and your study hours are inconsistent, there’s no need to panic. So, stop panicking and start scheduling. Have a good study timetable. It should be apt, consistent, and with appropriate breaks to boost up your productivity. Sit and think about what all you have to cover for your SET examinations, plan accordingly. When it comes to Kerala SET,  you will need a very structured timetable. 

Divide everything into two parts. For paper 1 and paper 2, then divide the whole syllabus into small sections. Set up weekly and monthly goals. Try to stick with it as much as possible.

Mock tests: 

A mock test is a real platform on which you can test yourself. When you prepare for all important questions, you must practice them to check your level of preparation.  Trying a high-quality online mock test will simulate an accurate actual test experience. It will not only provide you with complete performance analysis but also create a real test environment. More practice will help you analyze your mistakes and you are more likely to increase your speed.  Obviously, do more mock tests to familiarize yourself with the updated model questions and answers. Therefore, you have to spend as much time on mock exams as on studying the syllabus.

Attempt previous year papers:

You must follow the previous year’s PhD entrance test question papers and see the pattern of the papers. It is good to attempt these question papers because after attempting these papers you will feel more confident as well as you will get to know about your strong and weak points. You must consult the students who are pursuing the PhD in the concerned subject. They can give a lot of help and guidance. Clarifying the queries related to the entrance exam with the seniors who are pursuing PhD will give a clear picture of the test. 

Get yourself updated about current affairs:

You should thoroughly prepare about the subject you have chosen. You can also take guidance from the teachers of the concerned subject. If the subject has something related to current affairs, it is best that you must go through the newspapers and remain updated about the selected issues. If your subject is science again you must get yourself aware of any new developments made in that area. It is very important to be aware of the current affairs related to the subject. A question can come in an entrance exam about the recent developments which are related to the subject.

Evaluate yourself :

Now when you have your daily schedule, the next step is to follow it,  adhere to it. Try to follow your timetable as much as you can. You will now have to evaluate yourself after completing every small task. Look at the weekly goal and evaluate the progress. In case you could not complete the goal, do not worry, It's okay. You can do it next week. Just remember to assess the mistakes, why couldn’t do the task. Find out what that specific point is and work on it. You’ll be back on track in no time. So keep a close eye on your performance. Take a small step at a time, there’s no need to rush or you won’t be able to achieve anything. 

Keep Revising :

When you are preparing for an exam like UGC NET, you will have a vast syllabus ahead of you. While completing your course, you have to preserve all that you have already prepared. So for that, keep revising the topics you complete, make bullet notes for a quick revision in between. You can also set a day aside per week for revision. You can also revise and memorize your topics by solving sample papers, practicing previous year papers, or by taking mock tests. If you need a revision where you can remember points thoroughly, you can take the help of audiovisual aids. YouTube is one of the most popular options right now. Find a good channel, stick to one mentor, and watch the sessions for your subject. It will help retain the information. 

Now, despite this, this is a very critical time for all of us, but we can get through it. All you have to do is believe, believe in yourself, believe in your own enthusiasm, believe that our lives will return to normal, believe and do your part to make this a reality. Let's keep working hard to play our role in this regard.
Once you have clarified your doubts and reviewed some of your priorities, stop adding pressure to disturb your mind. The day before the exam, relax and release the pressure, a positive attitude and a calm demeanor are sure to make you pass the exam without problems.

Hope you found this article interesting and helpful. 

Thank you,

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