Deepak Kumar has cracked UGC NET 2018 History paper for both Assistant Professor and JRF (Junior Research Fellowship) by scoring 156/300 marks (52%). His paper-wise scores are 56/100 (56%) in paper-I and 100/200 (50%) in paper-II.
Belonging to a rural area, clearing UGC NET was always Deepak’s first preference. Although he came from a background where his parents gave little or no importance to studies, he was determined enough to achieve his goal of cracking UGC NET History paper. According to Deepak, “My parents had no idea about UGC NET-JRF but still they supported me in my journey of clearing JRF.”
An extremely hardworking student, Deepak is a graduate as well as postgraduate in History from Ram Lal Anand College and Sri Venkateswara College, respectively. Both the colleges are affiliated to University of Delhi. Currently, Deepak is preparing for his MPhil interview at University of Delhi and is also searching for teaching jobs in colleges.
In his free time, Deepak likes reading books and newspapers. The lad also likes listening to news regularly.
In a candid interview with Shiksha, Deepak shares his prep strategy and study plan for the exam. The lad also gives some relevant prep tips to aspirants of UGC NET (December) 2018. Read the complete interview below:
Q. Did you expect to qualify UGC NET for Assistant Professor and JRF?
I did expect to qualify UGC NET for Assistant Professor and JRF as I am interested in further research on topics like Dalit and their internal conflicts. For this, I did a lot hardwork and studied consistently.
Q. Could you tell us your preparation strategy that helped you crack UGC NET exam?
I studied for 8-10 hours a day. During those hours I studied a book thoroughly especially by noting down all important facts so that I could memorise them easily. The most important point is that I never mugged up any facts, rather just tried to understand them and that helped me crack the exam.
Q. Did you take any coaching for this exam?
No, I have never been for any coaching. I believe self-study is the best means to achieve success.
Q. What study plan did you follow for this exam?
I adopted a step-by-step study plan mentioned below:
First, I studied the syllabus thoroughly.
Second, I studied all basic books to clear my concepts.
Third, I studied all important facts.
Last, I solved last 10 years’ question papers of UGC NET to mark my score and personally grade myself.
Q. Which books did you read to prepare for the exam?
The books that I referred to for UGC NET preparation are:
|
Paper |
Book |
Author/ Publication |
|
I |
UGC-NET/JRF/SET Teaching And Research Aptitude (General Paper - I) |
Upkar |
|
II |
Ancient India |
RS Sharma |
|
Medieval India (Volume 1 & 2) |
Satish Chandra |
|
|
A New Look at Modern Indian History: Form 1707 To The Modern Times |
BL Grover |
|
|
From Plassey to Partition: A History of Modern India |
Sekhar Bandyopadhyay |
|
|
Kiran UPSC Bhartiy Etihas (Indian History) |
Nagendra Pratap Singh |
Q. How did you deal with your strengths and weaknesses while preparing for the exam?
I had set my aim at JRF and to achieve that I focused on studying continuously. Yes, it was a little difficult to follow the routine regularly and it became difficult to clear some concepts so at that time I used to contact my friends to have a discussion on different topics. All those discussions with my friends helped me clear my doubts. And, at the end of all the obstacles I was able to achieve the result that I wanted.
Q. What as per you are the mistakes one should avoid while preparing for the exam?
One should be very clear on the books they are referring to for NET preparation as good books are the necessity to clear any exam. Secondly, candidates should avoid mugging up and concentrate on understanding the topic that they are studying.
At the end, regular study and positive attitude is all that is required to crack the exam.
Q. Any advice to manage time while giving the exam?
Time management depends on one's own self. It is important to make a plan a day before the exam especially for General paper (paper-I). For paper-II, not much planning is required.
Q. Which as per you was the most difficult part of the UGC NET exam?
Nothing is difficult or easy as it depends on the study one does and that makes one confident.
Q. Any things that students should keep in mind to perform well on the day of the exam?
Don't panic, keep calm and read each question carefully so that you answer it well. Self-confidence and passion is necessary to clear the exam.
Q. What other teaching entrance exams did you take?
I have cleared MPhil entrance exams of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Delhi University.
Q. Any tips for students who are planning to take the exam next year?
Study well and regularly. Don't panic. Don't overthink, just study.
Q. What are your future plans?
My future plan is to be a professor in a renowned university and to pursue PhD.
Also Read:
UGC NET 2018: Prep tips for Commerce by Ramesh Kumar
Richa Chaudhary shares her success story of clearing UGC NET 2018 Psychology for Assistant Professor
UGC NET 2018: Prep tips for Forensic Science by Snigdha Moitra
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Student Forum
Answered a week ago
No, UGC-NET is not a mandatory entrance exam for FPM admissions at Delhi School of Business. Other than UGC-NET, candidates can appear for any one of CAT, MAT, GMAT or CMAT to qualify for Delhi School of Business FPM admissions.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
No, both are not same. CUET PG is conducted for admission to postgraduate courses offered at central universities, state universities and other participating institutes. While UGC NET is an eligibility test for junior research fellow (JRF), assistant professorship and PhD admission.
V
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 2 weeks ago
Candidates can crack or clear the UGC NET exam in first attempt with regularity, dedication, hard work, proper study plan, etc. He or she should also solve previous year papers and give mock test.
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 weeks ago
The NTA will release the UGC NET 2026 notification for the June session on the official portal at ugcnet.nta.nic.in. All the important dates related to the exam like application form start date and all will be mentioned in the notification. It is advised to the candidates to read the notification ca
C
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 weeks ago
The NTA is expected to release the UGC NET notification in April 2026. It will be announced in the form of PDF at ugcnet.nta.nic.in. The notification or information brochure consists the details about the exam including the registration form, exam duration, pattern, etc.
I
Contributor-Level 6
B
Beginner-Level 1
Answered a month ago
The authority will release the NTA UGC NET provisional answer key after the conclusion of an exam in a few days along with the question paper and response sheet. It will help the candidates to verify their responses, estimate the probable scores and evaluate their performance in the examination.
G
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
No. candidate can not submit the UGC NET application form offline. It was released on the official portal at ugcnet.nta.nic.in. The application form was released online on October 7. All the process of the online form including the registration, document upload, fee payment, confirmation, etc. must
K
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
In the UGC NET exam, two marks are awarded for every correct answer. There is no negative marking in the exam. For every correct answer, two marks are awarded. Scroll down to know the marking scheme.
UGC NET Marking Parameters | Marks Allotted |
|---|---|
Correct answer | +2 |
Incorrect answer | 0 |
Un-attempted question | 0 |
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
The NTA released the UGC NETadmit card 2025 for the December session exam. It was released on the official portal at ugcnet.nta.nic.in. The admit card is a mandatory document thata needs to be carried at the examination centre by the candidate.
J
Contributor-Level 6

Is UGC-NET mandatory for FPM admissions at Delhi School of Business?