UGC NET 2017 Geography: Rajshree Bhati shares prep tips for JRF & Assistant Professor

Rajshree Bhati, UGC NET 2017 qualified

A resident of Churu, Rajasthan, Rajshree Bhati cracked UGC NET (November) 2017 Geography paper for both JRF (Junior Research Fellowship) and Assistant Professor. Rajshree scored a total of 256/350 marks (73.14%). Her paper-wise marks include 56/100 (Paper I), 80/100 (Paper II), and 120/ 150 (Paper III).

Currently preparing for a job as a college lecturer, Rajshree has done her graduation in Arts stream from SDS Girls PG College, Sujangarh (Churu) followed by post-graduation in Geography from Government Lohia PG College, Churu. Her father is a retired government official from BSNL and mother is a housewife.

A reading enthusiast, Rajshree loves to read novels in her free time and also likes listening to music. In a candid interview with Shiksha, Rajshree shares the prep strategy she adopted to clear UGC NET Geography paper, her future plans, and a lot more. Read the complete interview below:

Yes, I was confident about my selection in UGC NET 2017 exam for both JRF and Assistant Professor.

I have always dreamt of becoming a college lecturer. I love Geography as a subject and that is why I never felt pressurized to prepare for the exam.

As my preparation strategy for the exam, I divided time to cover the syllabus of all units. I started my preparation three months before the exam and used to study seven to eight hours in a day. I divided all the units in these three months. After that, I also decided how much time I should give to a particular unit.

Yes, I joined a coaching institute to prepare for the exam. Although I had cleared NET twice during post-graduation for Assistant Professor only, my coaching institute covered approximately 20% of JRF syllabus, which helped me better my preparation. Also, by joining coaching I got ample of confidence.

I read the following books for CBSE UGC NET preparation:

• Alternative Geography by Sanjay Singh
• Physical Geography by Savinder Singh
• Climatology & Oceanography by DS Lal
• Environment & Ecology by Dristi
• Urban Geography by SC Bansal & Meenakshi Prakashan
• Population & Urbanization by SK Ojha
• Evolution of Geographical Thought by Majid Hussain/ BC Jat
• Practical Geography by JP Sharma

Besides the aforementioned books, I also went through all UGC-NET previous years’ question papers.

Sometimes I used to get anxious about my preparation but I dealt it with positivity. I maintained a distance with the people having negative vibes and doubts.

Grass is greener at other people's feet because they watered it. You need not to let your environment control you; you have what it takes to make it look beautiful.

And, during the preparation instead of reading from two or three books, read a single book twice. Each time you will explore something different in the book.

Time management certainly plays a crucial role but plus point is that there is no negative marking.

You have sufficient time to complete paper II and III of UGC NET. So read all the questions well and only then answer them without getting panic. There is usually lack of time to complete paper I. So it is important that you practice giving paper I in real exam-like scenario to make your preparation for it better.

For me, only paper I was difficult. But I practiced paper I a lot before exam, which helped me during the exam.

Sleep well in the night and keep your mind fresh. Do not panic during the exam. If you are well prepared for the exam and the paper comes tough do not panic. Remember a tough paper is tough for all the candidates. Also if a paper is easy, it is easy for all. So do not be over-confident in such a situation.

When you read a question in exam hall, instead of giving importance to the four available options, hide them and try to recall the right answer without getting confused.

Yes, clearing NET was always my first preference. As mentioned earlier, I always dreamt about being a college lecturer and this was my first step of the ladder.

Do hardwork, it is important as there is no substitute for hard work. Always stay motivated. Keep practicing, practice makes a man perfect. Be consistent with your studies and never procrastinate. 

In future, I want to be a college lecturer. My purpose is to serve the nation by giving good education and ethics to students.