12 Things You Should Know Before Starting CUET Preparations

The Common University Entrance Test, also known as CUET, is one of the most popular and important exams for students. It is a gateway for them to land in their dream universities, which are one of the most reputed ones in the country. The entrance is conducted for admission in 86 Universities out of which there are 43 Central Universities, 18 Private Universities, 13 State Universities, and 12 Deemed Universities.

Students who have recently passed their 10th, 12th, and undergraduate years can apply for CUET. There are mainly three types of courses under CUET exam, that include undergraduate, graduate, integrated postgraduate, and research programs.

To enter some of the best colleges under CUET like DU, BHU, EFLU, and others, you have to crack the entrance exam. If you are a CUET aspirant and are going to start your preparation, there are some things that you must know before preparing for it. Keep reading the blog to learn more.

CUET 2023 Overview

The newly introduced CUET is a national-level entrance exam conducted by the National Testing Agency, or NTA. It mainly aimed at providing students from all boards an equal opportunity to make it into reputed universities.

Before CUET, there were distinct criteria for admission at different universities. They had separate entrance exams and procedures for selection. But this process was cumbersome and burdensome for students.

They were trapped between various entrances, and this was confusing. To tackle this issue, the Government of India introduced CUET as a common test for various central and state-level universities in India.

Benefits of the CUET Exam

• CUET exams help test students capability to get admission into 45 reputed Central universities in India
• It makes the admission process easier by bringing almost all universities under one entrance examination and ditching the endless cut-off lists.

12 things you should know before starting CUET preparations

1. CUET Eligibility Criteria

If we talk about CUET 2023, we have already mentioned that it offers mainly three types of courses under CUET: undergraduate, graduate, integrated postgraduate, and research programs. But, before you think of applying for the exam, you must know about the eligibility criteria for CUET.

2. Understanding the syllabus

Undoubtedly, CUET is an important exam for students, but at the same time, it is a newly introduced exam. So, understanding the nta CUET syllabus is very important in the preparation process.

You can either list it down or download it from its official website. It has a detailed syllabus for every course and college you want to apply to. There are chances that the syllabus may vary from college to college, so make sure you examine it thoroughly.

3. Knowing about the exam pattern

As we have mentioned, the paper can be different for each college, so knowing and evaluating the exam pattern is also very essential. A proper understanding of CUET marking scheme, and exam patterns, can also help you crack the exam.

So, mainly, the CUET entrance test question pattern has four sections-

4. Choosing your college

Since CUET has many colleges under it, they have different syllabuses and exam patterns. So, you have to decide on your college from the CUET colleges list and courses from the very beginning. Choosing your college will not only give you clarity but also the right direction in which to prepare.

So, before starting your preparation, set an aim. List down the colleges you want to go to and analyze their cut-offs. This would help you determine the approximate marks you need to score to get into your desired college.

5. Referring to preparation books

Before you start your preparation, list down the books for CUET preparation 2023 that you

are going to study. The books also vary according to course, but purchasing at least two books depending on your course is considered a wise decision. The books will help in better understanding the topics.

6. Sticking to the newspaper

Newspapers are mandatory for almost every student preparing for any entrance. Since a section is dedicated to english reading comprehension for CUET, newspapers can prepare you for that. It will also improve your vocabulary and grammar. So, make sure you devote some of your preparation time to the newspaper. If you don’t have enough time any day, then you can just skim the paper once.

7. Practising sample papers

In any type of exam, sample papers are extremely useful. They not only help in understanding the exam pattern better but also polish your preparation. It also helps in evaluating your preparation. CUET exam sample paper

You can take your time to solve as many CUET exam sample papers as you can, as it will help you analyse your strengths and weaknesses in the topics.

8. Referring to PYQS

Previous year question papers are a must. You can never miss out on them. Solving all the last five years question papers is considered a safer option. By doing so, you will get to know about the format of questions and the areas on which to stress more.

There are chances that the PYQs get repeated in your question paper, and if you have solved them, you can easily attempt them and score good marks.

9. Giving mock tests

Practice is important, but it is equally important to build confidence for the exam. Solving mock tests will help you analyze your performance, and with practice, they will also build up your confidence. You can give this seriously like the real exam, following the time limit too. It will help you do time management during the examination.

By solving this correctly, you can also learn how to manage your time on the day of your entrance exam. So, try to give CUET mock tests once a week for revision and easier grasping of subjects.

10. Preparing a timetable

Most people tend to ignore this part or are unable to stick to a timetable even if they make it. But, remember, dividing your subjects along with time can be a great help.

There are students who must be preparing for the exam along with their usual college studies. So, they can set aside 1-2 hours for CUET preparation. Once they are done with their studies and final examinations, they can devote a considerable amount of time to CUET.

11. Revising

Students tend to study for hours, trying to put new concepts and topics in their heads, but end up forgetting the previously read portions. This happens because of a lack of revision.

No matter how much to study, if you do not revise them, you will eventually forget them in the long run. So, try to devote the weekdays to reading new topics and weekends to revisions.

12. Don’t Stress

Students tend to mess up everything due to excessive stress. So, with your hard work, make sure that you give yourself enough rest and remain stress-free.

Conclusion

Lastly, CUET can be a turning point in your career, so if you prepare according to the strategy then cracking it will be easy. If you need more preparation tips, then you can watch the YouTube videos of Physics Wallah, where some important tips and tricks are mentioned. Furthermore, if you have any doubts regarding the same, you can ask us in the comment section.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q.1. Is CUET and cucet same?

Ans. Cucet or Central Universities Common Entrance Test is now known as CUET or The Common University Entrance Test. So, both are the same exams and with modified names and there is no difference between cucet and cucet.

Q.2. Which are the best universities under CUET?

Ans. AS per NIRF ranking some of the top universities under cucet are-

• Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)
• Banaras Hindu University (BHU)
• Jamia Millia Islamia

Q.3. Is there negative marking in CUET?

Ans. You should be very careful while attempting the questions because CUET has negative markings. For each wrong answer, 0.25 marks are deducted.

Q.4. What is general test in CUET exam?

Ans. The general test in the CUET exam includes general knowledge, current affairs, general mental ability, numerical ability, quantitative reasoning, and logical reasoning.