UGC NET 2020 qualified for Assistant Professor, Prem Prakash shares prep tips for History

Prem Prakash has cracked the UGC NET exam for the fifth time this year. Know what preparation strategy he adopted to crack the UGC NET 2020 exam here.

Prem Prakash, an engineering graduate from Uttarakhand Technical University, has cracked the UGC NET 2020 exam for Assistant Professor in History subject. He has scored total 164 out of 300 marks. His paper-wise scores in the exam include 70 in paper-I and 94 in paper-II.

Extremely dedicated, this is the fifth time that Prem has cracked the UGC NET exam. Apart from that, he has also cracked some reputed exams such as Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) and Uttar Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test (UPTET). Currently, Prem works as an Assistant Teacher in a Delhi Government school. He has completed his Master’s in Medieval History from Rohilkhand University, Bareilly.

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Prem’s hobbies include listening to old songs, watching and playing cricket and gathering knowledge about different historical places. In a candid interview with Shiksha, Prem shares how he prepared for UGC NET exam, which books he studied, what are his future plans and more. Know what exactly Prem had to say about the UGC NET exam below:

Yes, I expected to qualify the UGC NET exam for Assistant professor, especially after the release of the answer key.

My only strategy was to score good in both the UGC NET papers. I also ensured not to go through many books but just select a good authentic book and read it over and again.

I did not follow any specific study plan to prepare for UGC NET. I just worked towards the preparation of both the papers and solved many previous year UGC NET question papers.

I read the following books:

• History of Modern India by Bipin Chandra
• A Penguin History of Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300 by Romila Thapar
• Drishti IAS Mains Solved Papers

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Our strengths always give us some benefit over other students. I focused on sharpening my strengths even further and worked hard on my weaknesses. If one scores good in his/her areas of strength and scores average in areas of weakness then no exam is impossible.  

For UGC NET preparation, rather than reading many books it is important to read few but good books. It is also important not to be negative and have confidence while preparing for the exam.

There is sufficient time in the exam to complete both the papers. I recommend candidates to go through all the 150 questions in the exam in a proper manner before opting their answers.

For me, research aptitude was the toughest part in UGC NET exam. It is one of my weaknesses and I have never scored well in it.

Read questions and all options for a particular question very carefully. Thereafter, try to eliminate some options from your mind by trying to remember everything that you have read about that topic. If you adopt this method, the chances of answering the questions correctly will increase.

Apart from UGC NET, I have also qualified CTET 2018 and UPTET 2018 exams. My score in CTET was 102/150 and that in UPTET was 121/150. I was also selected as an assistant teacher in Uttar Pradesh but I preferred Delhi.

Start preparing for UGC NET from now onwards. Do not focus on few topics, you have to give time to every part of exam. Read only good and authentic books.

I hope to become an assistant professor in a college of repute someday. I am already preparing for the same.