How to Polish Your Preparation if You Are Reappearing for the Exam?

Juliet D'cruz

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How to Polish Your Preparation if You Are Reappearing for the Exam?

With lakhs of candidates appearing for the SSC CGL Exam, there are high chances that many are unable to clear the exam on the first attempt. Candidates often fail to cross the minimum required marks. There could be many reasons behind your past mistake; it’s important not to be too hung up on it. Rather, use it as your stepping stone to success. It is important to understand that repeating the CGL exam is neither a failure nor should it be a source of demotivation. 

However, with a previous attempt under your belt, you really should be performing well in the next attempt of SSC CGL. CGL preparation for a repeater differs significantly from that of a fresher. So how should you approach the familiar foe? 

It is important to have a proper retaking strategy for the exam and be able to obtain an excellent score in it. First, is it important to analyse whether your strategies are in place to tackle the exam again? To help you with preparing for the exam in a more effective way this time, a detailed and effective retaking strategy is provided in this article.

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5 Tips to Take Up Exam Preparation for a Repeater

  1. Analysing what turned out badly – A thorough analysis of your previous attempt is the very basic step to start off with the preparation. Since you’ve been given the SSC CGL exam previously, assess where you stand, and answer the most important question. What let you down: speed or basic understanding? Lack of basic understanding is one of the biggest reasons behind an unsuccessful attempt. While speed is important for any time-limited exam, major gains can be made only by revisiting the basics. Analyse how much time you took to solve questions and your accuracy in the individual sections. Utilise this data and plan your preparation accordingly.
  2. Avoid making the same mistakes – Concentrate on your frail areas and improve on them. There is a tendency among exam retakers to look for a quick fix. Avoid focusing just on your weaker sections. Give adequate time to improve each section. The syllabus of the SSC CGL Exam requires the candidates to not only have a clear understanding of the basics but also to strategise each section appropriately. You can be selective in this regard, depending on your performance last time around. Remember to analyse your performance not just for your weaknesses but also to figure out what worked for you successfully.
  3. Try out new strategies – Pay special mind to more open doors and attempt new CGL preparation strategies to score better in the present year. Oftentimes, candidates retaking the exams are hesitant to change their approach towards different sections. While practice does make things perfect, it’s also important to realise that successful Combined Graduate Level exam attempts can be achieved through a permutation of a variety of strategies. So, do not be reluctant to try out different strategies. While a certain approach might not appear very helpful, it may prove to be a significant upgrade. Trial and error is a proven method to formulate a strategy for the actual exam.
  4. Take as many mock tests as possible – Reinforce your nuts and bolts and rehearse the greatest number of mock tests as you can. A mock test is not essentially a tool for practice as much as it is for analysis. Identify your weaker areas, but don’t let your stronger sections suffer because of them. Mock tests will enable you to evaluate your improvements and areas of continued poor performance. Make it a habit to spend more time analysing the said mock test than the time you took to take the actual test. 
  5. Practise and revision are the soul – Those who are appearing for the exam again already have their basics in place; they are just required to polish up their basics and develop problem-solving abilities. Hence, make sure to include ample time for revision. Revisiting topics is how you solidify what you learn. Also, back your preparation by practising past years’ papers, sample papers, mocks etc. Practising  will make you realise how prepared you are for the exam. Thus, practise more, read progressively and stay peaceful for a better score.

Down the line, aspirants of SSC CGL who are retaking the exam can prepare more effectively and ace it easily.  Remember, ask all your doubts during or after study hours and get them all clarified before the examination. Also, tweaking test-taking strategies is not the be-all and end-all. For many candidates, learning and practising the topics from the SSC CGL syllabus may be a source of even greater improvements.

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