We’d start with one of the most influential principles of the ethics of Chanakya. He said, “Teacher is the maker of the nation” so for the development of the country. It is very important to have qualified teachers because a good teacher is like a candle – who consumes himself to light the way for others. However the creator of the nation can be produced only if the country has a good system for teacher education and dedicated & efficient teacher-trainers.
Teaching is a white-collar job around the world, whereas in India, it’s about discipline, devotion and dedication. According to The Business Standard over 23.77 lakh aspirants appear for Central Teacher Eligibility Test every year. Reports claim over 29.22 lakh students applied in 2019 out of which 5.45 lakh managed to qualify. The Central Board of Secondary Education conducts Teacher Eligibility Test twice per year in India. Qualifying the exam is the primary eligibility requirement marked for teachers who are teaching at public or private schools. The competition is tough, of course, more than IIT-JEE, therefore, CTET aspirants must adopt a strategically formulated plan based on their abilities. A good preparation plan highlights the path to the candidates.
Therefore, we’ve compiled a list of some common yet game changing CTET preparation tips that everyone can follow to crack the exam. These tips will help you to plan your approach and actions in order to qualify the exam in the first attempt.
Toppers’ Tips for How to Prepare for CTET in Just One Month
Curious to know how the national toppers prepare for their exams? Keep reading and follow the below mentioned tips for CTET preparation.
1) Know CTET Exam Pattern
CTET is of course not like other competitive exams like SSC, MTS or others. It’s different, therefore it’s a must to know the pattern. Here’s how it goes.
- In the CTET, there will be 150 questions consisting of one mark for each.
- You will be allotted 150 minutes to answer all questions.
- The exam will be conducted offline.
- The question paper will consist of objective type questions.
- There will be a total of 5 sections and each will have 30 questions.
- Child Development & Pedagogy (CDP)
- Mathematics
- Environmental Studies
- Language I (Hindi)
- Language II (English)
- There will be no Negative Marking in the CTET exam.
Note: Mathematics & Science for (Science Background Students) social science is for (Arts Background Students).
2) Understand CTET Syllabus
Central Teacher Eligibility Test checks for the abilities of a person to understand & formulate the syllabus as per children mental level.
- The CTET exam takes place in two parts – Paper I & paper II.
- The syllabus is different for each paper. You should try to cover the complete syllabus during your preparation.
- CTET Paper-I includes (child development & pedagogy, Language-I, Language-II, Environmental Studies and Mathematics.)
- CTET Paper-II includes (CDP, Language I & II, Social Studies or Mathematics & Science.)
- The exam will be bilingual (Hindi & English).
- There are 20 language options available and candidates can choose two out of twenty.
- There are more than just subjects. The CTET exam syllabus includes various subjects, therefore it’s important for you to formulate a strategic plan that covers nearly every topic of the syllabus.
3) Strengthen Your Weak Areas
Here are some important tips that would help you to improve your weaker areas effectively.
- Identify your weak areas and categorize as per the level of improvement.
- Try to learn & cover all the basic concepts to strengthen your roots and start working on your weak areas.
- Track your previous records to identify your weak areas where improvement is required.
- For your strong areas, you won’t need to start from the basics so you can simply utilize your time to work on your weak areas.
4) CTET Preparation Books
“The books are the most loyal & trusted friends you can ever have.” and what would be more beneficial than having a friend who let you top the exam? Here’s how to prepare for the CTET exam at home.
- You must prepare at least one major book for each subject as per CTET exam syllabus.
- CTET Preparation Books:
- NCERT 1-5 for Paper Ist
- NCERT 1-8 for Paper IInd
- You can also use CTET preparation books from Arihant, Disha or other publications.
- You can also take online classes for CTET preparation given by toppers. Check out the given link.
Check Here:Top Online Education Platforms in India
5) Start from the Basic and Try Quizzes
“The most difficult thing in life is to understand the basic concept of right & wrong.” When children start their schooling, they already have an understanding of basic concepts of major subjects like English, Hindi and Math. This understanding can also guide teachers to enhance their skills. Therefore, it’s better to strengthen your roots before planning skyscrapers.
- Aspirants should focus on the basic concepts of each subject given in the CTET syllabus, especially in child development & pedagogy.
- Child Development & Pedagogy includes:
- Theories of Intelligence
- Theories of Child Development
- Learning theories
- Intelligence theories
- Assessment & Evaluation
- Concepts of Psychology
- You can also try to solve CTET quizzes of each subject which will not only improve your preparation, but also give you a clear insight into your preparation and will highlight your weak areas.
6) Prepare Short Notes
Other than increasing your ability to focus, preparing notes will help you understand the concept and process information more effectively.
- You should make notes for all the topics during your preparation.
- These short notes will not only enhance your ability to focus but also help you revise at the last moment.
- You can either make different notes for each subject or just put important topics of each subject that will be beneficial during revision.
7) Revise All Concepts & Theories
Revising is not something that should be challenging & difficult at all. What revising is, unfortunately, is time consuming. It takes a while. That’s why you might like to start it early.
- Once you finish your studies or complete syllabus, try to revise all the important topics on a daily basis.
- Focus on important theories, memorize concepts, and formulas during revision.
- Don’t just repeat, try to understand everything, understand the question, how would you recognize it if it appeared in the exam.
Check Here: Time Management Tips for Effectively Study Plans
8) Practice Previous Paper
The CTET exam is conducted through offline mode, that’s why you will get a copy of CTET previous papers online or through other students who have appeared for the exam.
- You should regularly solve previous year question papers because it’s the key to score high.
- You can analyze your score in each attempt, score-wise and formulate a plan to improve your preparation.
- On the basis of your score while practicing precious papers, you’d get better insights into your abilities and manage your time efficiently.
Pro Tips to Score High in CTET Exam
- There is no negative marking in this exam, therefore, you can try to attempt all the questions fearlessly, (Note: learn to manage your time wisely.)
- Aspirants from General category will have to score 90 marks out of 150 in order to qualify for the CTET exam.
- Also, there is no sectional cutoff so you don’t need to be afraid of any subject.
With the help of last year toppers and experienced teachers & trainers, we’ve put together CTET preparation tips & strategies to help you prepare for CTET at home in a month. We hope these strategies will help you in qualifying your exam. Don’t lose your focus and prioritize your goals to score high.
