Tips for CSIR UGC NET JRF Life Sciences Exam

If you can dream it you can do it

I think you have completed or you are in the last semester of your post graduation in Botany, Zoology, Bio-Technology, Microbiology…….

Whatever it be the best and the most probable option will be to make an attempt to cross the CSIR-UGC barrier which is definitely the best exam and the most challenging one you have in your academic life.

I just want to remind you the reality that after completing your plus two, you have chosen a subject and you got a degree. Now you have the basic qualification for appearing in almost all general examinations in India from lower division clerk to IAS, IFS…..But you continued with your ‘trusted’ subject for your post graduation also. After learning a subject for 5 year’s (now you are supposed to be the master in your subject) at least I think you have to try for the best if you have trust in your chosen subject.

CSIR/UGC-NET JRF exam at a glance Life sciences

Time: 3 Hours Max Marks: 200

Single Paper Test having Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) consists of 3 parts
Part A: Answer 15 MCQ questions out of 20 questions in General Aptitude.Each question shall be of 2 marks (15x2=30 Marks).

Part B: Answer 35 MCQ questions out of 50 questions (of topics in the syllabus). Each question shall be of 2 marks (35x2=70 Marks).

Part C: Answer 25 MCQ questions out of 75 questions (application level questions). Each question shall be of 4 marks (25x4=100 Marks).

Negative marking: ¼(25%) for each wrong answer.

If you are in the RA (result awaiting category), the chance of qualifying this exam is more so make a good attempt.

Minimum requirement

You need not be the top in the university or college, but you have to learn to love your subject not as fragments as Botany, Zoology, Biotechnology etc as a whole the “life sciences”. Most often the topics you studied in your syllabus has nothing to do with your exam as you may be familiar with most of the questions but selection of the best from the options require logical approach and basic knowledge in the matter.

Let us checkout the obstacles you may face in your exam and how to tackle this...

Part A (Questions from general sciences) taken from previous CSIR-UGC NET/JRF question papers.

Q 1. In plants water is transported from roots to shoots via

(a)Xylem (b) phloem (c) apoplast (d) Symplast

This question comes under the category “very easy questions” especially for a botany student/life science student. A student of life science should answer this question. Most questions in this section will be from basic sciences, botany and zoology. So MSc biotech, microbiology, genetics, biochemistry.... students may sometimes find it difficult to answer. But you cannot miss this type of questions.

Q2. There are various types of bonds in chemistry like metallic bond, ionic bond, Van der walls and hydrogen bond. Among the following the weakest bond is

(a)ionic (b) metallic (c) hydrogen (d) van der Walls.

Q3 . In routine lab practice, for diluting concentrated sulphuric acid generally it is advised to add drops of sulphuric acid in water instead of water in concentrated sulphuric acid because

a) Pure sulphuric acid is very costly

b) It is an endothermic reaction

c) It is an exothermic reaction

d) Latent heat of water is low

“Very easy questions” for a chemistry/physics student, not very difficult for a life science student. You are familiar with the questions. But you may not be remembering the needed things exactly. What to do?

Q4.Time required for downloading a file of 2.4 Mb from a broadband connection having speed of 256kbps will be

(a)1 hour (b) 30 min (c) 3 min (d) lesser than 30 sec.

A question testing your GK or computer knowledge.

The only thing you need to know to answer this question

1Mb=1024kb......rest I think you can do....

Tips for answering PART A questions

Whatever be the subject you have chosen for your PG you should be well versed in your plus two physics, chemistry, and biology text books. That will definitely fix your basic knowledge in the above subjects. I think simply going through your plus two text books you can give a good try for most of the questions in the PART A.

Answers: 1.a, 2.d, 3.c ,4.d

How to learn this vast syllabus of CSIR? Don’t worry

The most important thing “enjoy learning new things rather than for CSIR. You should feel that you are improving each & every day. So go ahead with this mindset.

Don’t get overstressed while learning. If you feel bad, refresh yourself &come after some time. If possible use codes 2 remember lists...

Eg : Vitamins with antioxidant property?

“ACE”

I think you know TATA “ACE” & that’s it. Vitamin A, C & E.

Learning is all about improvement in acquiring knowledge. So go for your own ways & makes yourself better.

The first step toward solving a problem is to begin.....