CUET is a common entrance exam for all undergraduate programs under the Central Universities of India. Students take this exam very seriously as it is a turning point in their careers. They study day and night to manage a seat in their desired university under their desired courses. India is a big country. There are lots of applicants, therefore, the competition is real. This article aims at guiding the students through the CUCET exam pattern and providing the students with tips and tricks to ace the CUET language test.
CUCET Exam Pattern
The paper arrangement for the CUCET exam is different for different colleges and courses. Therefore, getting acquainted with the paper pattern for the college you wish to apply for is crucial for cracking the entrance exam. Based on the CUET Exam Pattern, the entrance test has three parts:
Section 1 A: Thirteen Languages
- This test section aims to assess your language skills for your chosen language. The question paper is available in thirteen languages, of which any one language can be chosen. Most of the Indian aspirants, however, go for Hindi or English.
Section 1 B: Nineteen Languages
- Section I B – Twenty Languages: This part includes twenty languages, including Russian, German, French, Sanskrit, Dogri, Nepali, Spanish, Chinese, Persian, Arabic, Sindhi, Konkani, Italian, Kashmiri, Bodo, Manipuri, Maithili, Santhali, Tibetan, and Japanese. Aspirants may choose any one of these twenty languages if they wish to go for a language other than the ones listed in Section I A.
Section 2: Domain-specific evaluation
- This category comprises twenty-seven domains. Upto six domains can be selected by the students based on the courses they wish to take and the university they wish to apply for. These twenty-seven domain-specific subjects include Accountancy and bookkeeping, Biological Studies/ Biochemistry/Biotechnology, Business Studies, Economics, Chemistry, Information Technology, Entrepreneurship, Geography or Geology, Graphics Engineering, History, Home Science, Knowledge of Indian Culture and Tradition, Environmental Science, Law, Maths, Physical Education or Yoga, Physics, Political Science, Sociology, Psychology, Agriculture, Aptitude Teaching, Mass media and communication, Fine and visual arts, Anthropology, and performing arts/dance.
Section 3: General examination
- Any student interested in enrolling in undergraduate exams offered by colleges demanding a General Test for admission can take this test. After passing the general aptitude test, admission to one of the 45 core central universities is contingent.
- The components of the General examination are Information in General, Events Upcoming, Mental Capacity, Numerical solving skills, Mathematical-based reasoning, Algebra and Arithmetic, Mensuration and Geometry, and Analytical and Logical Reasoning.
Examination Days
- The CUET examination is conducted over a few days and is held in two slots a day.
- The first slot will start at 9:00 am and conclude at 12:15 pm. A maximum of four tests can be taken by students in the first slot, including one language test from section IA, any two domain-specific subjects from Section II and a single General test from the third section.
- The second slot will start at 3:00 pm and conclude at 6:45 pm. Upto five tests can be taken by students in this slot, including four domain-specific subjects from Section II and one language test from Section IA & IB. Another option is taking two language tests from Section IA & IB and upto three domain-specific subject tests from the second section.
- A student sitting for the CUET exam can take nine tests in both slots. The student chooses the tests on the basis of the degree they want to pursue and the university they desire to enrol into.
5 Tips to Prepare for CUET Language Test 2022
CUET Language Test Preparation
The English paper of the Common University Entrance Test has 50 questions. Of these 50 questions, students are supposed to attempt any 40 questions. The test will be divided into various categories as given below:
- Reading Comprehension
- Rearranging the parts
- Verbal Ability
- Synonyms and Antonyms
- Choosing the correct word
- Vocabulary
Tips to Prepare for Reading Comprehension
Reading comprehension refers to the capacity to understand and interpret what you read. It would be best if you were quick about your understanding of what you are reading to prepare for this section of the CUET language test. Read the questions carefully and look for the keywords so that you can formulate the appropriate answer quickly and accurately. You will have to be smart and have good thinking skills as most questions won’t have direct answers. Read the comprehension given at the start of the test carefully.
Tips to Prepare for Verbal Ability
For any competitive exam in India, verbal ability is one of the most important components. For this exam, you must have good reading skills. You must practice reading to increase your reading speed and capacity to do well in this section. Reading 5-10 pages of a novel daily would be best. Write down any unfamiliar words you face so that you can look at a dictionary for their meanings, synonyms, and antonyms. Also, note down any unfamiliar quotes or phrases you come across. You might face those in some form in your exam. Try to understand their meaning and applications as well.
Tips for Rearranging the Parts
This is also an important component of the test. It is aimed at testing your thinking skills and basic language skills.
This sentence rearrangement test requires you to examine the sentence and understand its meaning carefully. The tip is to note what comes before and after the sentence. That way, you will be able to rearrange it easily.
Tips for Choosing the Correct Words
Read the passage very carefully and choose the words you think are correct.
Do not be impatient while reading the passage. Take your time and be patient, but do not exceed the time limit also. You can be wrong sometimes, but it’s ok. Try not to leave any questions unanswered. Trying to attempt every question is the key.
Tips for Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms are words that have the same meanings, while antonyms are words having opposite meanings. The only way to identify these words is by increasing your vocabulary. In case you do not know the answer, please do not leave it blank. Try to analyse the question carefully and guess the answer. You can use flashcards during your preparation to enhance your vocabulary.
Following are the tips to increase your vocabulary:
- If you want to pass the CUET language test with good results, having a good vocabulary is very important.
- Having a good vocabulary will help you navigate through a lot of sections in the paper. Also, your critical thinking and reading skills will enhance automatically with improvement in your vocabulary. You can refer to NCERT Solutions or the Study Material provided at Aakash BYJU’S to improve your vocabulary.
Conclusion
All the parts of the CUCET exam, including the language test section, need the students to work really hard. It is suggested to read the editorial section of newspapers regularly so that your vocabulary enhances and your reading comprehension skills increase. Also, you should keep up with current events and broaden your general knowledge to answer the section three questions confidently. A smart study strategy should be developed to tackle each section of the paper. If you take all these steps and study dedicatedly, no one can stop you from entering your dream university to pursue your dream course.
FAQs about Tips to Prepare for CUET Language Test 2022
1. What is the first step in CUET exam preparation?
After choosing your course and the university you want to enter, your first step is to get well acquainted with the syllabus. You are advised to plan your timetable on a daily basis by distributing all parts of the syllabus across the timetable. You must know your strengths and weaknesses so that you can prioritise the portions of the syllabus you are not confident about. Besides sample papers, you should also explore NTA's previous year's question papers for guidance.
2. Why is it important to solve sample CUET papers?
Solving sample papers is an important part of the preparation for any exam. It helps develop your time management skills. You know exactly what to expect in the paper and can estimate how much time each part of the paper will take. Also, you get acquainted with the examiner's style of asking questions. After finishing the sample paper, go through it very carefully. Mark your mistakes so that you can work on them and avoid repeating those in the future.
3. What are the revision tips for the CUCET exam?
Listed below are some interesting revision tips that will help you crack CUET Exam:
Analyse the syllabus carefully and identify the parts that require more attention from your side.
Make an effective timetable and follow it religiously.
Revise the most challenging topics first.
Attend mock tests to learn time management skills.
Identify the important topics by going through the previous year's question papers.
Get yourself acquainted with the paper pattern.
Revise all parts of the syllabus thoroughly to fetch the maximum marks.
4. How to prepare for the Logical and Analytical Reasoning section?
Brush up your logical and analytical skills by solving online puzzles and puzzles in newspapers.
If you make a mistake, analyse your doubts and fix those so that you do not repeat the same mistake again.
Study the topic of inequalities and syllogisms thoroughly as questions are expected to be asked from there.
For multiple-choice questions, try to identify the wrong answers if you are unsure about the correct answer. That way, you can reach the correct option through the technique of exclusion.
Revise the main concepts just before the exam.
4. How to prepare for the General Knowledge section?
The best way to get good marks in the General Knowledge section is by reading more and more. You can read newspapers, journals, and magazines to stay up to date with the latest events.
You can also increase your general knowledge by socialising. Discussing social topics with your friends and acquaintances will help you clear your concepts around those topics. You can also have conversations about the major events happening in the country as questions may be asked pertaining to those topics.
You must be acquainted with ancient Indian history, capitals of every country, important dates in history and Science, Sports, awards and honours, and books and authors as questions may be asked from these domains.