UGC NET English Literature Topper Interview: Shivani Karn's Preparation Strategy to Crack NTA NET Exam

UGC NET exam topper, Shivani Karn shared her success and preparation strategy for the candidates who want to crack the UGC NET exam. Read the complete story and UGC NET preparation tips to crack the UGC NET exam.

Shivani hard work paid off when she got the news that she had successfully qualified for the UGC NET exam on her second attempt. Her achievement was not only her success but a validation of hard work, dedication, and a strong desire to succeed, anything is possible. Her journey serves as a reminder that success is often perseverance in the face of adversity and that true achievement comes not from external circumstances, but rather within. Read the complete interview of Shivani Karn to know her journey and preparation strategy below. 

Also Read: Succes Story of Komal Sharma (UGC NET Topper Political Science)

Q: Tell us something about your background?

A: My name is Shivani Karn, I come from a middle-class family where you have to think of bread and butter for every day along with the best you can take out from yourself to achieve success in life. I have done my Graduation and post-graduation in English Literature from Vinoba Bhave University. After completing my post-graduation, I joined as an Assistant Professor in an Engineering College for one and a half years.

Q: What was your overall and paper-wise marks/score in UGC NET exam? Which year did you qualify for the exam and where you are currently working?

A: I qualified for NET in the year 2020 with an overall percentile of 94.2.  Currently, I am pursuing PhD.

Q: Why you’ve chosen this exam? Which other exams did you appear in and which you have been able to crack?

A: I always wanted to pursue a career in education as a researcher and lecturer. UGC- NET opens up the gateway to several opportunities in the field of higher education. I appeared for GATE-2022 and got a good score there as well.

Q: How much time did you prepare for the UGC NETexam? Did you crack it in the first attempt?

A: I qualified for UGC NET in the same year I completed my Post-Graduation. So, apart from my studies, I used to spend 3-4 hours for the preparation of this exam. I cracked UGC NET in my second attempt

Q: Tell us about the challenges you faced while preparing for the exam.

A:  Completing a vast syllabus of UGC- NET is a real challenge. At the beginning of my preparation, I had to dedicate a lot of time to understanding the syllabus, the previous year's question paper, and the nature of this examination.   

Q: Did you take any coaching for the exam? If yes, from where and for how long? If not, how you managed to do self-study?

A:  No, I did not take any coaching classes for this Exam. I managed it through self-study. Online resources and solving previous year's questions have been very helpful to me.

Q: How to prepare for UGC NET exam? Tell us the strategy you applied to prepare for the exam.

A: I believe that it takes a good study plan, consistent study hours, and dedication to qualify for any competitive examination. UGC- NET demands extensive study and smart work together. 

Also Read: UGC NET 2023 English Syllabus

Q: Is coaching important to crack the exam?

A: I don’t think coaching is required for this examination. But, coaching can be helpful for guidance and can be a time saver to get study material.  

Q: Tell us about the UGC NET study routine?

A: I followed the 4+2+1 strategy; four days for paper-2, two days for paper-1 and Sunday used to be for revision.

Q: What is the ideal time for starting the preparation?

A: It varies from person to person. In my opinion, once you are clear about your career path, you should get begin to familiarise yourself with the syllabus at the Graduation level and start preparation in the first or second year of post-graduation.  

Q: How much time did you spend regularly on preparation?

A:  I used to spend 3-4 hours on a regular basis and sometimes more.

Also Read: UGC NET Previous Years' Question Papers 

Q: What should be the section-wise preparation strategy?

A: First, the aspirant should analyze the previous year to understand which section should be more or less focused.

Q: Can you refer to some good books for UGC NET preparation?

A: For paper 1, one can go through KVS Madaan for basic understanding. For the preparation of paper 2 in English Literature one should read M. H. Abrams’s A Glossary of Literary Terms, English Literature (History) by William J. Long, The Routledge History of Literature in English, Contemporary Literature and Cultural Theory by Pramod K. Nayar, etc. Solving the previous year's questions is highly effective in the preparation journey.      

Q: What according to you were the easiest and toughest sections?

 A: I had a good basic concept of my subject which made my preparation smoother. Almost 60 per cent of the questions come from British Literature (in English) so; I focused mostly on British literature. The exam also comprises World Literature and it was challenging for me to cover it all.  Nowadays UGC NET exam is concept-based, but still, it demands memorising chronologies and hard-to-grasp facts.

Q: How you tackled your strong and weak areas?

A: I worked on both my strong and weak areas. I concised my study material for the strong area and for my weak areas, I dedicated more study hours and did revision regularly.

Q: Did you take any mock tests? How do mock tests help to improve your performance in the exam?

A: I opted for online mock tests. Yes, it was helpful for revision and practice. 

Q: After clearing the UGC NET exam, how can anyone find a job?

A: UGC-NET paves the way for your dream career as a researcher or Lecturer. One can apply for faculty positions at private colleges or universities and also appear for state service examinations for the post of Assistant Professor. There are a number of central universities and IITs which provide stipends to students for research.

Q: What are your hobbies? Did you attribute it to the preparation?

A: I am an enthusiastic reader. I enjoy reading romantic novels and poems as it gets me a sense of freedom from worldly problems. Yes, it also helped me to get less exhaust with the vast syllabus of UGC-NET. The key to cracking the UGC NET exam is love for the subject you are preparing for. The more you're indulged in it the more you will get the benefit of it.

Q: What factors do you attribute to success?

Consistency, dedication, and faith in oneself. I would also like to add that bit of good luck also helps.

Q: Any message or advice to future UGC NET aspirants?

A: Be a good LEARNER!!!

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