Toppers’ Tips: ‘CUET UG is also a game of elimination,’ says Miranda House student

How did you prepare for CUET UG?

I was already preparing for my board exams when CUET UG was confirmed. Our board exams were conducted in two terms and after my second term exam was held, I started focusing on CUET. A lot of syllabus was deleted from my board exams so I charted out the entire syllabus for CUET and identified my weaknesses. 

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I had an Excel sheet where I added my entire syllabus and had time allotted to them. I used to study two subjects in a day. I gave the majority of my time to one subject in a day. I had a fixed schedule of study and it indeed helped me get full marks in CUET. Reviewing whatever I did during my day, and what went wrong also made things sorted.

This also helped me know my strengths and weaknesses and how I can use them in the entrance examination. It is also not so much about knowledge as you will not be required to attempt all the questions. We were required to attempt only 40 questions out of 50. CUET UG is also a game of elimination. 

I focused on the NCERT textbooks. I had them by heart at one point in my preparation. Also, I bought Oswal Publications books. The benefit of those books was that they had a portal and the topics in the books had some QR codes in them so that students could scan and take timed quizzes. I also bought Study Adda mock tests which I found very helpful.

What was it like preparing for the board and CUET exams simultaneously?

The board exam preparation was not so much as we had to take the exams in two sessions with half the syllabus in each. After the board exams, I had charted the syllabus to make things easier. 

Do you remember any question that was difficult to answer in CUET?

I did not practice maps so I had to skip the questions on map in history. I think students should not ignore anything from the NCERT textbooks. 

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What would you recommend to CUET UG 2024 aspirants?

– Do not be mean to yourself during preparation. Take adequate rest

– Being calm and confident during the exam, knowing your strengths and weaknesses and leveraging all of them at the moment is very important in the exam hall

– Focusing on NCERTs will help

– Take mock tests seriously

– Make plans for the day and stick to them. If you cannot do according to the plan, see where the problem lies

– Surround yourself with positive people. I saw my sister preparing for JEE Main exams with utmost devotion. I learned how to work hard from her

– Being on the clock during preparation also helped

– Time management, consistency and integrity are not only important for exam preparation but these are qualities one carries for life. If you are consistent and have integrity, it will show in your relationships with friends and peers as well.

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How is life in the Miranda House?

I was confused between Hindu College and Miranda House. I chose the latter also due to the NIRF rankings. I spoke to seniors at DU and watched vlogs during my preparation to learn more about the DU colleges.

I am in my third semester now and during this one and half year period, I have found it has widened my perspective of the world. The college is also a mixed bag of culture. While some of my classmates had to fight so many social barriers to be here doing their graduation, it made me realise how fortunate I have been throughout my life. Life in Miranda House has also made me a more empathetic person.

A lot of people say that colleges do not matter in your life but I strongly believe, it does matter and have a big role in shaping one’s life. Not because of the college, but due to the people you meet there. Everybody here is smart and driven people. They are passionate about the work that they do and they also want their friends to do good. 

What do you do in your free time?

I write in my free time. I am part of a few societies in my college. I am in the Creative Writing Club of Miranda House, the History Society (my course society), the book-reading club and the Global Youth India Club. 

Sometimes my friends and I read essays and books that are not in our syllabus in our free time and discuss them. It is like an informal study circle and it has honed my analytical skills in me.

I might take the UPSC CSE exams after my graduation is over. Therefore, during my free time, I read old NCERT books.