The Do’s And Don’ts for English Literature UGC-NET Aspirant

Whenever I set a goal or try to figure out the best possible route to reach my destination, I create the Do’s and Don’ts list.

Once I understand the kind of activities that will bring maximum results, I pick them up and repeat them over and over again for many weeks and months.

No matter how fascinating the less productive activity look like, for instance, watching a movie or frequently checking out my social media accounts, I avoid them. Above all, I try to avoid using my phone until 10:00 am strictly.

Nowadays, I’m aiming to reach as many students as I can to help them crack the English Literature UGC-NET Examination. So, I’ve greater responsibilities. But, if I don’t remain on the best version, I cannot expect my students to stay at the top of their potential. 

So, here are the do’s and don’ts for English literature students to make their journey to the UGC-NET certificate a lot easier. 

1) Don’t Depend On Syllabus

Many students message me asking about the syllabus of UGC-NET. They find it difficult to understand the topics they have to cover during their preparation. 

So the common question is: “What’s the syllabus for UGC-NET English Literature”? 

The sad truth to accept at the beginning of your preparation is that there is no syllabus.

All those authors, poets, and works which pushed the literary canon to heights require more attention.

If you are a literature student, you may have heard the name of all these writers and subjects during graduation and post-graduation.

You can also get an idea about each subject by referring to the syllabus of Central Universities like DU, JNU, PU, etc.

1.a) Do Read The Previous Year Question Papers

The best possible way to find the topics that need more attention is by going through the previous year’s questions.

If you refer to previous ten-year question papers, you probably don’t have to spend time looking for the syllabus and important writers. 

Most often, questions are repeated from the previous year’s topics. 

For instance, if questions have been asked from the play Waiting For Godot five times in the last ten years, there is a high probability that another question can be put forth from this play in upcoming exam.

Similarly, there are many works from where the questions have been repeated. Some of them are Ulysses, Waiting for God, Portrait of An Artist as a Young Man, Way of The World, etc.

Reading all the major and minor works of important writers will increase the chance of cracking the exam. 

2) Don’t study from YouTube

90% of the YouTube content is used for marketing purposes. Although you will find every topic and information on writer on YouTube, no channel is organised. 

Moreover, tons of information can overwhelm you. Resultantly, you might end up in confusion and anxiety.

Due to increased screen time, people have lost their ability to focus on one activity for a longer period. On average, every individual gets distracted every eight minutes. 

Most probably you will constantly jump from one video to another without figuring out why you visited the platform in first place.

So, to be successful in any endeavor, we must learn how to keep the distraction to minimum and take control of our time and focus.

2.a) Do Study From Notes

You can either study from books or subscribe to a coaching class that provides a structured UGC-NET English Literature program.

It is always a good idea to invest in coaching or guidance. It makes the journey a lot easier. 

Besides, preparing for competitive exams in India is not less than a 1000 km journey. Having a coach or group of friends around you can make your journey less tiresome and discouraging.

If you are looking to crack the code to the UGC-NET exam, you can immediately start studying under our guidance. Check out our Smart Study Material and save hundreds of hours that you might spend writing down the notes.

3) Don’t Skip Anything From British Literature

About 40-45% of questions directly come from British Drama, British Poetry, British Novel, and Prose. There were questions from both minor and major works in the past few years.

Skipping British Literature can be a disastrous mistake. Everything is important to study in British Literature. Before you think about studying any other subject, spend 2-3 months completing British Literature first.

3.a) Do Avoid The Trap of New Notifications

It is easy to get distracted with continuous notification of the latest exams such as GATE, TGT, PGT, etc.

Every exam has different demands. For example, in some exams, Indian Literature is important, while in other exams, there have been many questions from Criticism and Theory.

First, you have to decide the exam you are aiming for. Then, take a look at the previous year’s question paper. After that, plan your complete routine. 

If your mind wanders from one goal to another, you may end up achieving nothing fruitful in your career.

It’s important to set priorities. Having clarity of goals will help you stay consistent and keep you ahead of indiscipline and unplanned students.

4) Don’t Be Afraid To Face Your Fears

Over the past few months, I found that many students avoid British poetry. Some called it boring, while others found the poems difficult to analyze.

The fact is that before the Victorian period, most English Literature is in verse form. From 500 A.D. to 1700 A.D., the majority of British Literature falls under verse form. To avoid British Poetry is to dice with death.

It goes the same for other conceptual subjects such as Theory or Postcolonial Literature.

4.a) Do Ask For The Help

Maybe you are one of those who decided to study everything by yourself by creating notes from Sparknotes, Wikipedia, or GradeSaver. You might have referred to some books in the past.

You did whatsoever you could have done, yet you failed to crack the exam. So now, you are frustrated and angry that why does it so you work harder than others, but you failed, and other students cracked the exam?

There can be several reasons why things did not go as you expected them to be. But most often than not, it’s the lack of guidance why some qualify for the exam while most students fail. 

That’s why you should not be afraid to ask for help from the students who have already cracked the exam. 

You don’t have to invent a new route. Instead, follow the same route that others have followed, read the same topics, and study material that others have used to qualify.  

You can also get in touch with your guide or teacher. Else, if you want to crack the exam as soon as possible with minimum effort, you can join me.