A majority of candidates are feeling cold in their feet, as the dates for government exams are drawing closer. Instead of feeling anxious, they need to pull their socks up. They should keep reminding themselves that cracking these exams can help them secure a lucrative job. We advise every candidate to work from their fingers to bones to get an edge over their competitors. Without a doubt, preparing for any government exam is a strenuous task. However, you can make your preparation phase easy and interesting by following effective study techniques. Chances are you’ll be able to clear the government exam in a single go.
The charm for SSC exams among youngsters of India has never faded. If you are preparing for the SSC CGL 2021, study for the exam with the help of unique study techniques. Adopting these techniques can amp up your efficiency to prepare for the government exam.
Here are some effective study techniques for candidates preparing for government exams:
There are a plethora of scientific study techniques that can help you during the preparation phase. In this article, we have jotted some of the techniques that can prove beneficial for aspirants of government exams.
-
The SQ3R method
It is basically a reading comprehension technique that can help candidates identify significant facts and retain information within their textbook. SQ3R decodes itself as Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review. These are the five steps of the reading comprehension procedure. Try these steps for better study experience:
- Survey: Instead of devoting time on reading the whole book, you can start with skimming the first chapter. Also, prepare notes with the help of headings, sub-headings and charts given in the chapter.
- Question: Now you can frame questions as per the content of the chapter.
- Read: It’s the time to read the whole chapter now for finding answers to your questions.
- Recite: After reading the whole chapter, answer the question in your own words.
- Review: Once you complete the chapter, review the material in-depth to understand it. Also, quiz yourself on the questions you framed and you can read again some portions for knowledge.
-
Spaced Practice
This is also named as distributed practice. Instead of cramming concepts the night before, it motivates students to study for a longer period of time. Our brains work hard to recall forgotten information. Thus, spacing out study schedules allows your mind to make links between ideas and retain the knowledge that can be recalled easily. If you want to follow spaced practice, adhere to the steps mentioned below:
- Learn the material completely.
- Revise the material thoroughly at least two times.
- Make sure you revise that material at the end of every week as well.
So, it’s essential to plan early for government exam preparation. This way you can get ample time for revising the whole syllabus of the exam. There will be almost no chance of forgetting any concept at the time of examination.
-
The feynman technique
This is the most efficient technique to understand and retain the concepts. It works on the idea, “ if you intend to understand anything, choose to explain it in simple words”. Thus, when we explain anything in our own words, it becomes easy to understand it. The feynman technique works in the following manner:
- Note down the topic/concept that you are learning on the top of a sheet of paper.
- Now, explain it in your own words. Make sure you are using simple language.
- Read your written content thoroughly and make changes where necessary.
- In case you use technical words somewhere, explain those terms in brief while making notes.
-
Color-coded notes
It’s a bit hard to recall information from messy notes. Writing with colorful pens can organize your information. Also, it can aid in revising and reviewing the most important ideas. As per various studies, it is predicted that colours can improve memory performance of people. Using warm colors can help improve your focus and retention power. Thus, writing in colors is fun learning. You can use the following ways while making notes with colorful pens:
- Note down every key point in red.
- Use yellow color for highlighting important information.
- Organize every topic by a color.
- We advise you to not color everything. Use colours for headings only or any significant information.
You can use colors of your choice as well while preparing notes for different subjects.
-
Mind-mapping
It is the most effective technique used by visual learners. For better learning you can visually organise information in a diagram. Firstly, you need to write a word in the middle of a page. Afterwards, note down main ideas, then link them directly to the central concept. Therefore, the structure of a mind map is based on the process in which our brain perceives and retains information. Many government exam aspirants use this technique to memorize and retain information. Also, you can use different colors to prepare diagrams and charts.
-
Exercise before you sit to study
Exercising is not only effective in fighting fatigue, but it also aids in increasing energy levels. You can spare at least an hour a day to exercise. This can also benefit in improving your health. Additionally, you need to follow a healthy diet. Make sure you are intaking enough nutrients to keep yourself active. Also, avoid consuming caffeinated and sugary food items. Instead, you can drink four litres of water in a day to boost the brain’s efficiency. Doing this can help you retain concepts for a longer period of time.
Are you planning to appear for the SSC CGL exam? If yes, seek help from a renowned source that can cater effective SSC coaching in Chandigarh.
Conclusion
Candidates preparing for the government exams search for the best possible ways to study. There are a number of ways in which you can opt to study. However, we have mentioned a few study techniques in our article. You can follow any of these techniques while preparing for the government exam. Chances are you’ll be able to crack the exam with high marks.