Mastering CUET 2024 challenge: Strategic approaches to excel in exam

The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) will provide a common platform and equal opportunities for candidates across the country, especially those from rural and other remote areas, and help establish a better connection with the universities. A single examination will enable the candidates to expand their application range for admission to various Central Universities. CUET was introduced in the year 2022, and it has revamped the entire UG admission scenario in India. The National Testing Agency which has been entrusted with the responsibility to conduct the exam has officially announced that CUET 2024 will be administered online from May 15 to May 31, 2024. Prestigious Universities like Delhi University, BHU, JNU, Vishwa Bharati University, Allahabad University, EFLU Hyderabad, TISS, Dr B R Ambedkar School of Economics University, Bengaluru (BASE University), Jamia Millia Islamia and Indira Gandhi National Open University will be taking admission based upon CUET scores.

Private universities, state-run universities, and Deemed-to-be universities can also use the UGC as the admission criteria if they want to. In a nutshell, a total of 54 Central Universities will be taking admissions in UG courses based on the CUET 2024 score conducted by NTA.

By appearing in the CUET, a candidate won't get admission on their specified course unless they fulfil the eligibility criteria of the corresponding university. The CUET 2024 will be conducted in a hybrid mode (both online & offline).

Pradeep Pandey, the Academic Head at T.I.M.E, shares strategic approaches to excel in the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) 2024.

Some important details about CUET are:

The CUET exam 2024 will have 3 sections. The details of those sections are as follows:

1. Section I (A & B): Languages (33 Language) - (40 Questions to be marked out of 50)
2. Section II: Domain-Specific (27 Subjects) - (40 Questions to be marked out of 50)
3. Section III: General Test (50 Questions to be marked out of 60)

A student can choose a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 6 subjects from all three sections combined. This number has been reduced to 6, potentially to streamline the exam and reduce test length.

CUET 2024: MARKING SCHEME

NTA has finally confirmed the CUET pattern and marking scheme. As per the official CUET notification, for every correct attempt, 5 marks will be awarded. For every incorrect attempt, 1 mark will be deducted. There will be no penalty for un-attempted questions and questions marked for review.

The number of questions in each of the languages and domain-specific subjects is 50 and test takers are required to answer 40 questions.

The selection of questions is going to play a very important role in saving precious time in the exams and fetching the optimum accuracy. The number of questions in the General test is 60, out of which, test takers are required to answer their best 50 questions. It will provide lots of flexibility for a candidate who keeps the general test as an option to secure a coveted seat in their dream college.

Section-IA & IB

The ability to comprehend the questions correctly and interpretation skills are going to help the test takers. In these language-based sections, the skills of Language opted for by the candidates will be tested based on Factual, Literary, and Narrative type Reading Comprehension Passages.

Domain-Specific Subjects

Students only need their assigned NCERT books to prepare for CUET 2024. All questions in various testing areas will be benchmarked at the level of Class 12 only. That means that your NCERT books along with the NCERT exemplars for class 12th will be the best source of preparation for the domain-specific paper. Students having studied the Class 12 board syllabus would be able to do well in CUET 2024.
General Test

The general test is very tricky and those students who have worked on their strategies are certainly going to excel in Section III. The questions of the general test will be based on general knowledge, mental ability, numerical ability, quantitative reasoning, and logical and analytical reasoning. Although the syllabus is not well-defined, we can gauge to a certain extent what can be asked in this section.

As per the disclosure of NTA, it is quite evident that static general knowledge and current affairs will be asked in the general knowledge part. For numerical ability, it is mentioned that simple application of basic mathematical concepts, arithmetic/algebra/geometry/mensuration taught till grade 8 will be asked.

In the general mental ability, logical, and analytical reasoning section, one can expect questions from numbers and letter series, coding-decoding, input-output, missing figures, cubes, non-verbal reasoning, analytical puzzles based on arrangements and distributions, etc. In the quantitative reasoning section, one cannot rule out the possibilities of some interpretation questions based on data and cases.

Test takers should know the questions will be mostly logical in nature and application-based. Alternative approaches will help you immensely to save precious time in the examination to reach the end of the examination. Time management will also play a crucial role. Hence, it is a must to virtually divide questions into easy, moderate, and difficult categories. After this, candidates should start with the easiest question, or the question set with which they are most comfortable.

This will not merely fetch marks for those questions, rather it will help in boosting your confidence for the entire test. Attempting the questions in the logical sequence as per the increasing level of difficulty certainly helps the candidate to optimise both speed and accuracy. Develop a knack for solving as many relevant questions as you can daily.

The more you practice, the more confident you get and the less time you'll take to solve the questions. Test takers are advised to work on their time management skills and keep improving on their ability to solve questions under time pressure to solve 50 shortlisted questions out of 60 questions in 60 minutes!!