By Kamaldeep Singh
The 14th Edition of CENTRAL TEACHER ELIGIBILITY TEST (CTET) which has been rescheduled will be held on January 31, 2021 across 135 cities. The exam was to be held last year in July 2020. All registered candidate should see details on CTET website,
Meanwhile, let’s talk about 10 common mistakes to avoid in CTET.
The Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) is conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) across centres in India to test the eligibility of candidates who aspire to become teachers. The exam consists of two sections – Paper-I, which candidates who wish to teach grades 1 to 5 are required to take and Paper-II, for grades 6 to 8.
In order to qualify as a primary stage teacher, aspirants need to score a minimum of 45 percent in Grades 10+2. For elementary stage teachers, the criteria is a minimum of 45 percent marks in graduation and 50 percent marks in the 10+2 level. The exam is scheduled for January 31, 2021.
The syllabus of The Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) is very vast. It focuses primarily on child development & pedagogy and on the idea of school education. Language is an area that an applicant must master to clear the CTET 2020 test. Technology/Environmental Science, apart from Mathematics, are also relevant subjects for the CTET 2021 examination. Correct answers will be awarded a +1 mark but there is no negative marking.
Both Paper-I and Paper-II are MCQ based and bilingual, and can be answered in Hindi or English language. Here’s a look at some of the most common mistakes that aspirants can avoid
- Try to not get frustrated when you are unable to answer some questions, ask your seniors or teachers to help you out: Try to talk to someone if the tension gets to a point where it impacts your concentration. You can chat about your concerns with your seniors and get more guidance on how to handle the stress.
- It is essential to stay motivated throughout the preparation. Take good care of yourself by sticking to a healthy diet: A proper diet seldom gets its due importance during exams. Your mental faculties can be energised by the right food and drink and sustain you through long exam hours and boost your alertness.
- Before appearing for the exam, make sure that you have all the necessary materials like admit card, identity card, your self-attested letter and multiple pens: Double check whether or not you are carrying all the necessary materials with you before the examination like water bottle, admit card, extra pens, watch and an identity card.
- Do not rush while filling all the required information in the answer sheet. It is extremely important to get it right: Rushing in the examination will only result in making mistakes and taking most of your time. Hence, make sure you maintain a good pace and avoid rushing.
- Most people tend to not read all the instructions. Try to read through them carefully to avoid any issues: Candidates tend to start solving the paper without even reading the instructions. One should avoid skipping it completely, though you can choose to scan through the document quickly. Pause and read through the relevant portions carefully.
- Always read the questions carefully before solving them: Read in a way that allows you to understand, assess, and focus on the question. It will help you recall whatever you have practiced in the past with respect to the examination.
- Avoid wasting too much time on a single question. If you are not able to solve a question try skipping to the next one: Candidates should avoid wasting time on one question, rather set aside the time they need for each question at the start of examination and make better use of that time.
- Prioritise the section you are well-versed in, solve the others after that : Start attempting the section you feel you are most confident about. This will boost your confidence and you will be left with more time for the sections you feel you need more time for.
- Divide your time subject-wise. Try to give more time to subjects like Mathematics: Allot sufficient time to each subject and tactically plan your time management. Subjects like mathematics will require more time than other subjects.
- Keep an eye on accuracy along with speed to pass the exam: Accuracy in your answer is more crucial than speed. It is not a good idea to assume that solving your paper quickly will fetch you more marks.
- Lastly, be very careful while filling the OMR sheet to avoid accidental errors: The OMR sheet is tested by a computer, so your response will be marked wrong if it does not detect the dot. Hence, be careful while filing it.
Eligibility certificates will be given to candidates who secure 60 percent (General) and above marks. Reserved category candidates are given a 5 percent relaxation. As this exam is an offline exam, the board has advised candidates to strictly maintain social distancing before and during the exam. They have also asked students to carry provisions like water and extra pens to avoid unnecessary contact.
The writer is a top CTET Educator at Unacademy
