Richa Chaudhary shares her success story of clearing UGC NET 2018 Psychology for Assistant Professor
University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test 2026 ( UGC NET )
Richa Chaudhary
A dedicated student, Richa has always topped during her graduation and post-graduation days. She scored 65% (first position in college) during her BA, 79.6% during her MA (second position in the university), and 80% (first position in university) in her BEd first year. The girl was also the General Secretary of DDU Gorakhpur University’s student union.
Clearing UGC NET was always Richa’s first preference. The only daughter in her home, Richa’s parents always motivated her to do the best. In her free time, Richa likes cooking, dancing, and listening to music.
In a candid interview with Shiksha, Richa shares her exam prep strategy, future plans and more. Read the complete interview below:
Q. Did you expect to qualify UGC NET for Assistant Professor?
Yes, of course. Clearing UGC NET was my target on which I focused completely and gave away my sleep and peace.
Q. Could you tell us your preparation strategy that helped you crack UGC NET exam?
I believe in doing smart work rather than hard work. I used to follow a day-wise schedule instead of studying for 10 hours or more. I focused on clearing my basics for each topic and thereafter, attempted a series of practice sets.
Q. Did you take any coaching for this exam?
Yes, I did. But I used to skip that coaching a lot and focused more on self-study, which eventually helped me in cracking the exam.
Q. Which books did you read to prepare for the exam?
I cleared my basics on Psychology from NCERT books. Some of the books that I chose to prepare for UGC NET 2018 apart from NCERT are:
|
Book |
Author/ Publisher |
|
Psychology: From Science to Practice |
Robert A Baron |
|
Social Psychology |
Arun Kumar Singh |
|
Upkar’s UGC NET/ JRF/ SET Psychology |
- |
|
Psychology |
Saundra K Ciccarelli |
|
UGC NET/ SET (JRF & LS): Psychology Paper II & III |
Arihant Publications |
Q. How did you deal with your strengths and your weaknesses while preparing for the exam?
Feeling de-motivated is the most frequent problem that arises with students while preparing for such competitive exams. In my case, I always tried to remain positive and confident. I just focused on my goal and converted my weaknesses into strengths.
Q. What as per you are the mistakes one should avoid while preparing for the exam?
Do not panic if you are unable to solve questions and never get affected by external stimulus as there will be times when people will be judgmental and will try to decrease your motivational level. So avoid getting affected by these things.
Q. Any things that students should keep in mind to perform well on the day of the exam?
Always remind yourself that there is nothing to lose or gain in the exam. You should just focus on giving your best during the exam.
Q. Any tips for students who are planning to take the exam next year?
Be focused, be positive, manage your time well, know UGC NET paper pattern well, and always do justice with your studies.
Remember that last 20 days before the exam are always crucial because at that time you have lots of things in mind. You have to manage the pressure of the exam and at the same time read and revise lots of stuff. So never get panic. Instead always maintain your calm and be mentally prepared for the exam.
Q. What are your future plans?
My aim is to pursue research in the field of Positive Psychology. With the “UGC NET qualified” status that I have recently attained, I have finally got the wings to pursue my dreams.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 3 days ago
Candidates can check below the methods to make corrections if required in the UGC NET application or registration form:
- Visit at ugcnet.nta.nic.in
- Login using the application number and password
- Click on the link/button available for the application form correction
- Read the instructions and click on the
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 3 days ago
The NTA has not yet released the UGC NET 2026 notification and so the application process dates have not been announced for the June session. It is expected that the application is likely to start in April 2026 and the last date for the registration may likely be in May 2026. The authority will also
C
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 3 days ago
Yes, the National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the UGC NET exam twice in a year in two sessions namely June and December session. Candidates can give the exam unlimited times. There is no limit in number of attempts. Two sessions increase the opportunity for a candidate to qualify the exam for JRF
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 3 days ago
The registration for the UGC NET 2026 June session is expected to begin in the April 2026. The authority will release the application form and notification on the official portal at ugcnet.nta.nic.in. Without filling the application form online, candidates will jot be able to sit in the exam.
I
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 3 days ago
As per the previous analysis, in the UGC NET Paper 1; Research aptitude and DI can be considered difficult or challenging at times. Also, higher education system or environmental Science require to learn or memorize the facts, policies and is so time consuming. Where as Paper 2 is lengthy and subjec
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
Some of the UGC NET Political Science books to prepare are mentioned below:
- Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth
- Political Theory: An Introduction by Rajeev Bhargava and Ashok Acharya
- Modern Political Theory by Madan Gandhi
- Comparative Politics: A Global Introduction by Michael J. Sodaro
- An Introduction to Pol
V
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 3 days ago
UGC NET exam is considered to be moderate to difficult in the overall difficulty level as per the experts. The syllabus of the exam is vast and a bit challenging to cover for the candidates. In depth subject knowledge is required to crack the examination. Frequent revision also plays an important ro
K
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 3 days ago
The UGC NET June session 2026 exam date has not been announced yet. The exam will be conducted for a total duration of three hours or 180 minutes. The UGC NET exam will be conducted in a single session for both papers without any breaks. It will be conducted online.
G
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 3 days ago
Candidates must score good marks for clearing the UGC NET exam. For General Category the minimum qualifying mark is 40% and for reserved category it is 35%. In the June session 2025, the good score in History subject for the unreserved category was 162 for Asst. Professor and 180 for JRF.
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 3 days ago
The UGC NET exam consists of two papers namely Paper 1 and 2. Paper 1 is common for all the candidates which is based on teaching/research aptitude and Paper 2 is subject-specific and is based on the post graduate subject. In total 85 subjects are there namely history, geography, political science,
S
Contributor-Level 6
How to make correction in the UGC NET 2026 application form?