How to prepare for NEST 2020 in three months? Know the week-wise strategy, books and more
Here is a 'three-months preparation plan' for candidates appearing in NEST 2020 on June 6. Know the NEST 2020 preparation approach, exam pattern, syllabus, books and more.
The National Entrance Screening Test (NEST) 2020 will be conducted on June 6, in a Computer-Based Test mode. The science entrance exam is conducted for admissions to Integrated MSc courses offered at the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar and, Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences (CEBS) at Mumbai University – Department of Atomic Energy (UM-DAE), Mumbai.
The entrance exam is considered to be the toughest among all the science entrance exam as per the previous years' exam analysis. One needs to put at least six months' hard work to score well in the NEST exam. However, if candidates strategise well, then even 2-3 months would be sufficient. Therefore, Shiksha brings here a three-months preparation plan for NEST 2020 to score well in the examination.
- Make a schedule for NEST 2020 Preparation
- Know the exam pattern and Syllabus of NEST 2020
- NEST 2020 Subject-wise Preparation
- Practice Previous Years Question Papers
- Beat the exam stress
- Best books to practice for NEST 2020 entrance exam
Make a schedule for NEST 2020 Preparation
NEST 2020 preparation could be easier in the last three months with a proper study schedule. A serious and dedicated approach will help you score well in the exam smoothly. You must devote sufficient time for each subject to prepare well. However, also you should not put a strain on yourself by putting long preparation hours. If you plan to study for 8 hours a day, considering 2 hours for each subject then take breaks every 2 hours. Also, for each subject, give at least 1 hour to clarify concepts and learn the theorems and formulae and, next 1 hour, you practice the questions based on them.
Know the exam pattern and Syllabus of NEST 2020
It is important to know the exam pattern of NEST 2020 mentioning details about the exam features including, subjects, marking scheme, as well as the sectional weightage. Take a look below for
| Exam Features | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam mode | Computer-Based Test |
| Exam schedule | Shift 1: Morning schedule - from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm Shift 2: Evening schedule - from 2 pm to 5:30 pm |
| Exam duration | 2 hours 30 minutes |
| Type of questions | Objective-type of questions |
| Subjects | General subject, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology |
| Total questions | 70 questions |
| Total marks | 230 marks (five sections) |
Also Read:
NEST 2020 Subject-wise Preparation
Since there are sectional cut off marks for NEST 2020 i.e. Section-wise Minimum Admissible Score (SMAS), candidates should approach the exam preparation accordingly. For
Plan for Week 1 and 2 - Check the syllabus and list out difficult as well as easy topics, and then start clearing the concepts from each subject within the first 15 days. Also, ensure making notes of all the topics that you study. Cover all the important topics from Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics or Biology.
Plan for Week 3 and 4 - In continuation of the previous strategy, go ahead with clarifying concepts and. practising questions abundantly.
Plan for Week 5 and 6 - Cross-check if anything is left unprepared from the syllabus, if yes then clarify the topics and practise questions based on them sufficiently. Take at least 2-3 mock test for each subject in a week.
Plan for Week 7 and 8 - The last 15 days remaining for the examination should be dedicated only for revision. In this phase, try and relax a bit as you have prepared for NEST 2020 in a strategic manner and, you'll definitely score well. Just be confident, and revise the syllabus with the help of notes you prepared at least 2-3 hours a day.
Practice Previous Years Question Papers
It is highly advised to practice the previous years' papers of NEST 2020 to know the type of questions asked in the examination and other details. Listed below are the past years' papers for NEST exam, that candidates can download and practice:
NEST 2019 Session II Question Paper
NEST 2019 Session I Question Paper
NEST 2018 Session I Question Paper
Beat the exam stress
Candidates must not take exam stress and if they are getting anxious about the exam, do talk to parents or friends who will help you out. Amid board examinations and other entrance exams, it is quite obvious to get worried. However, candidates should view this as a probability of scoring well since the syllabus remains the same for all exams. They should rather focus on their health by eating healthy food, avoid going out or getting in contact with anyone amid Coronavirus outbreak. Take the necessary steps to 'not' fall sick right before the exam.
Best books to practice for NEST 2020 entrance exam
Candidates need to get the best books for NEST preparation so as to score well in each section. Some of the recommended books for NEST 2020 are:
| Subject |
Recommended Books for NEST 2020 |
Author/ Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| General section |
NEST Exam Guide | SURABOOKS experts |
| Biology |
Objective Biology with Questions | Dinesh |
| Chemistry |
Objective Chemistry with Questions |
RPH Editorial |
| Mathematics |
Objective Mathematics with Practice Papers | RD Sharma |
| Physics |
Objective Physics with Questions | DC Pandey |
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