“be like a diamond rare and precious not like stones scattered everywhere”
w.e.f. June-2011
CSIR-UGC National Eligibility Test (NET) for Junior Research Fellowship
and Lectureship
PHYSICAL SCIENCES
Introduction:
The National Eligibility Test (NET) is held twice in every year. This exam is organized by University Grant Commission (UGC) joint Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR).
The CSIR and UGC provide CSIR/UGC Research Fellowship to bright young men and women for training in methods of research under expert guidance of faculty members/scientists working in University Departments/ National Laboratories and Institutions in various fields of Science.
The CSIR/UGC fellowships are tenable in Universities/IITs/Post Graduate Colleges/Govt. Research Establishments including those of the CSIR, Research & Development establishments of recognized public or private sector industrial firms and other recognized institutions. However, CSIR reserves right to determine the place best suited to provide necessary facilities in the area of science and technology in which the awardees are to specialize. The CSIR/UGC Fellowship is tenable in India. Only bonafide Indian citizen residing in India are eligible for the award of Junior Research fellowships. The program is aimed at National Science & Technology Human Resource Development.
This Test also determines the eligibility of candidates (i.e. it is eligibility criteria only) for Lectureship positions in Indian Universities/Colleges. Those who qualify for JRF are eligible for Lectureship also. Some aspirants are declared successful in eligibility for Lectureship (NET) category only, based on their performance in the test. The award of CSIR/UGC Fellowship is for fixed tenure and does not imply any assurance or guarantee for subsequent employment by CSIR/UGC to the beneficiary.
If you are planning for this exam be always in touch with the website: www.csirhrdg.res.in, all the details/announcements regarding to this exams are available on it.
Applying for NET
Online procedure to file the application is introduced from December 2008. You can also apply by collecting the application form from desired branches of Indian Bank or other banks specified in the advertisement. Usually the advertisement is being published in March for June examination and in October for December examination, but you are suggested to keep an eye on CSIR website: www.csirhrdg.res.in. The examinations are normally scheduled on last or second-last Sunday of the June or December.
Before filling the application form read all instructions carefully and also make it point to have details of: Subject code, Specialization code, Center code, University and State codes etc., since you won’t be able to change anything later on.
Preparing for NET-LS & JRF
Follow the syllabus thoroughly. If you are not able to finish all the content given, at least make confident that you know some of the concepts in each unit. It is always better to confer with your peers who have gone through this process, or if you wish you can join Mudra Physical Sciences (www.mudraphysicalsciences.com). Sometimes worrying to much may leads you absolute confusion. Develop genuine interest in the subject, fully devote and make available 8 – 10 hours daily to prepare for this exam. Refer previous year question papers (you can freely download from our websites) to practice before the exam.
Writing the Examination (200 marks)
CSIR-UGC (NET) Exam for Award of Junior Research Fellowship and Eligibility for Lectureship shall be a Single Paper Test having Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs). The question paper shall be divided in three parts.
Part-A
This part shall carry 20 questions pertaining to General Science, Quantitative Reasoning & Analysis and Research Aptitude. The candidates shall be required to answer any 15 questions. Each question shall be of two marks. The total marks allocated to this section shall be 30 out of 200.
Part B
This part shall contain 25 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) generally covering the topics given in the Part ‘A’ (CORE) of syllabus. Each question shall be of 3.5 Marks. The total marks allocated to this section shall be 70 out of 200.Candidates are required to answer any 20 questions.
Part C
This part shall contain 30 questions from Part ‘B’ (Advanced) and Part ‘A’ that are designed to test a candidate's knowledge of scientific concepts and/or application of the scientific concepts. The questions shall be of analytical nature where a candidate is expected to apply the scientific knowledge to arrive at the solution to the given scientific problem. A candidate shall be required to answer any 20. Each question shall be of 5 Marks. The total marks allocated to this section shall be 100 out of 200.
There will be negative marking @25% for each wrong answer.
To enable the candidates to go through the questions, the question paper booklet shall be distributed 15 minutes before the scheduled time of the exam. The Answer sheet shall be distributed at the scheduled time of the exam.
On completion of the exam i.e. at the scheduled closing time of the exam, the candidates shall be allowed to carry the Question Paper Booklet. No candidate is allowed to carry the Question Paper Booklet in case he/she chooses to leave the test before the scheduled closing time.
How to Avoid a Disaster?
They say “when the going gets tough, only the tough get going.” So cover the difficult, yet important, portions of the subject to score a maximum. Prepared candidates survive in all situations and objective type questions demand good practice (unless, of course, you are a genius)!
Some students may have a tendency to give it up feeling defected about your performance during the day. Also be cool in your approach to the exam and never give up during the examination by doing things like answering all the multiple choice questions randomly base on luck, feeling defected of your performance. There is ample time to prepare and perform well. And from experience, many have come out successfully even after believing that they did perform very poorly.
Why Negative Marking?
Negative marking is incorporated in any objective type examination to invalidate the effect of gamblers. If you look at it statistically, the maximum plausible score one can obtain in 25% out of 100 having four choices each. Remember, this is the maximum and sometimes there is a distant probability that you score a cent percent. Rather, experience may tell you that you get relatively low score when you leave things to chance alone. Negative marking with 1/4th of the marks given to a correct answer tries to reduce the marks one gets by chance but the usual practice these days is to have 1/3rd of a correct answer as a negative marking. One may get negative marks as a result of the former, whereas, a more natural latter system will get ‘zero’ as minimum.
In examinations with objective type multiple choice questions (MCQ’s), there is a tendency called the ‘Red Wire Syndrome’ which means that one may answer all questions whether he or she knows the correct answer or not. If we can classify the questions into three categories, viz. 1) easy: indicating one knows the correct answer 2) fifty-fifty: possible but some doubt still prevails and 3) lucky: almost impossible. The ‘red wire syndrome’ means that one will have a tendency to answer all the questions, which is disastrous, just like a child who touches a ‘red hot wire’ seeing it as something beautiful!
The key to success lies in answering all the ‘easy’ ones and leaving out the ‘lucky’ type. It is imperative to learn the art of intelligent guessing to answer the type 2. This evidently comes from one’s experience and basic knowledge of the subject. So never ever find it insulting to go back to your basics.
How to prepare for this Paper?
PART-A: General Aptitude (30 Marks)
Individuals differ in their styles of application of intellect. Some excel in one while others excel in other styles. The various applications of intellect are:
(a) Comprehension: This includes grasp and understanding of the given material only without going beyond the material provided. This can also be called ‘cognitive style’. Recognition of familiar objects, sounds, melodies, etc., is included here but analytical ability is not.
(b) Retention: After comprehension, some individuals are able to transfer the material into ‘retention’ and are able to recall it quickly. Recalling the right mater at the right time, with accuracy and speed, is a key to success. This is also called ‘memory ability’.
(c) Reasoning: This includes the logical application of comprehended and retained material. The ability to grasp object relations, relations of ideas, ability of analysis and synthesis, and convergent and divergent thinking are included in this area. Reasoning is a style of higher order complex mental ability.
(d) Evaluation: This means reaching an outcome, conclusion, and implication, after reasoning, analysis and logical thinking have been applied. The evaluative style helps the individual’s problem-solving ability, and insight and foresight regarding problems. This is most helpful usually while dealing with other persons and social situations like group conflicts and communal tensions.
Tips, Hints, Tricks and Shortcuts to solve mental ability questions:
- Read every question very carefully to know clearly the logical relationships and be aware of any twist or turn which may be part of the question.
- Preferably, read the answers (alternatives) first and then the text of the question. This technique will help you to save on time spent per question. When you read the question first then answer, you are bound to go back and read the question again.
- Do not assume information which is not given. Remember this warning especially while tackling ‘logical reasoning’ and ‘data analysis’ questions.
- Do not waste time in guessing because in ‘mental ability questions’ there is only clear cut answer. You can take the risk of guessing only towards the end of the paper if you are acutely short of time and more questions are left, then too, only when you are able to clearly rule out two alternatives and have to guess between similar looking answers.
- Do not worry unnecessarily about finishing the paper. Many people may not be able to complete the paper, but your worrying about it will not only cloud your reasoning but it will also break your concentration.
- For questions dealing with ‘logical reasoning’, ‘geometry’ and ‘data analysis’, if you are not provided with a diagram then you must draw one for yourself. Diagrams always help in clarifying questions as they help your to visualize relationships between different parts of the question or that of data analysis. Especially in ‘geometry’, if an incomplete figure is given and the question relates to the connection between complete and incomplete parts, draw the missing parts yourself and complete the figure. This will help you to reach the correct solution.
- In questions relating to tables or graphs, be sure to read the complete table or graph along with units in which data is expressed. Remember also to express your answer clearly in the same units as given in the question.
- In all questions, make sure that your answer makes sense. Do not avoid the obvious possibility as too simple. For all that you know, the obvious may be the most sensible answer.
- Do not start calculating unless it is definitely required. Many a times, approximation or inference may be all that is required. Even when you have to calculate in a mathematical question, first look at the alternative answers provided and not just the numbers or data given in the question.
- If you skip a question make sure you skip it on your answer sheet also or else your answer order will be all wrong.
- Remember to do all questions that you know well in first attempt. To begin with, do not waste time in working out questions that you do not really know. This may lead to some such questions that you really knew very well, being sacrificed due to shortage of time at the end.
Part B and C: Physical Sciences (170 Marks)
I. Mathematical Methods of Physics:
The contents of this topic has enhanced the level of understanding are advanced. These topics are highly important for successful understanding of the subject, especially modern days of computers like: Vector calculus, Properties of Matrices and Matrix equations, Fourier series, Special functions. Also be prepared with the basic of group theory and important operations in it along with important groups and their properties. Expect simple problems in Part-B and and little advanced in Part-C, based on your basic understanding of the subject.
II. Classical Mechanics:
This section is significant from the point of view that most of the questions are sure if you develop some skill on Phase space dynamics and Rigid body dynamics and Relativity. It is important since easy but tricky problems can be asked in both papers. Working out as many problems as possible will give you more score.
III. Electromagnetic Theory:
This is more highly scoring and important topics for those who have the basic knowledge of electromagnetic. Maxwell’s equations are the milestone but each among the four equations has a story to tell. Differentiate between conducting and non-conducting media and learn about the symmetry of fields and boundaries to be able to solve problems in the area. It is mostly a problem of definite your equations, and solving them using the appropriate boundary conditions. It will be worthwhile to notice that both electric and magnetic fields have many things in common but have fundamental differences. Fundamentals make good hunting ground for candidates. So be prepared! Also, never forget to look into the relativistic electrodynamics and different gauges used.
IV. Quantum Mechanics:
This is the heart of modern physics and some good mathematical concepts along with physical insight will make it interesting. Stick to the basic again and work out on problems and the calculations. Remember the solutions to different basic problems like the free particle, one dimensional well, particle in a box and the harmonic oscillators. Angular momentum and coupling are important. Scattering may difficult bite but questions can be asked.
V. Thermodynamic and Statistical Physics:
It is important to know the basic laws of thermodynamics and the relation that define thermodynamic variables which are obtainable otherwise using the methods of statistical mechanics. Develop basic idea of the partition function, ensembles and their classification, and the need for different statistical approaches. It is always helpful if one can draw parallels between different topics in physics and final ways to understand the microscopic origin of macroscopic behavior. Your job is done when you are able to obtain the ‘partition function’ of any system that you are considering. One can, in theory, obtain the thermodynamic variables required to understand the system under consideration from the partition function. The partition function depends on whether you have a closed system (canonical ensemble) or an open system (grand canonical ensemble). Have good grasp of probability theory and try to understand how it can be applied to various situations in microscopic system such as Fermi and Bose systems.
VI. Electronics:
A good grasp of basic ideas in electronics is a prerequisite. It is highly scoring part, if a problem oriented strategy is followed.
VII. Experimental Techniques and data analysis:
Remember your laboratory concepts and the working principles of instruments used refer to laboratory guides and books on spectroscopy to have an idea of techniques used to gather and process data experimentally by avoiding noise to have the desired data.
VIII. Atomic & Molecular Physics:
This topic is much easier to understand and answer. One should be able to answer all questions related to this section, especially from different parts of spectroscopy.
IX. Condensed Matter Physics:
This is a crucial topic in paper worth time spending. Good knowledge of the subject not only helps in the examination but also helps in a future career. The section include simple theories in crystallography and superconductivity to acoustic and electric properties of matter, free electron theory, heat capacity models, band theory, insulators and semiconductors; Superconductivity, etc. It is important to notice that the temperature dependence of many material characteristics such as heat capacity, electrical conductivity etc.
X. Nuclear and Particle Physics:
This topic is not that highly challenging if you go through the syllabus. Nuclear models, semi empirical mass formula, nuclear stability, and ideas of different counters can come in handy. In case of reactions and their properties of emissions, beta particle decay is important. Follow different mechanisms possible within a nucleus. Learn to solve any nuclear or elementary particle reactions using the basic conservation laws used to group them.
It is important to answer to the point with all relevant points so that one gets good score for this paper. Accuracy, brevity and clarity are the scorer here. Give graphical, diagrammatical representation wherever possible. Draw well labeled figures/ diagrams wherever necessary.
While starting study, good source material must be in-hand as a ready reference. Each topic specified above contains such points, it is impossible to depend on only one book of that title, therefore multiple books has to refer to perform complete study of that topic.
Read the content from source study material with deep interest and devotion. Give maximum stress on UNDERSTANDING than to do by-heart. Make habit to think on that content and create its image in your mind, mark the key scientific terms (understand it with suitable example), and focus on statement in support of that. Do the revision of that day’s study on same day. On week day (Sunday), revise all topics you covered in that week, and re-read if you not yet confirm with the concept.
If you join with MUDRA PHYSICAL SCIENCES we can share something more: How to Study More Effectively in Less time, and we will also share our best expertise in How to Write effectively in Examination for maximum score.
Thank you,
With Best Regards,
Have a Very Successful Career and Beautiful Life!...
Director,
Mudra Physical Sciences, Mumbai
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