Building confidence, developing skills

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As the competitive nature of various exams continues to rise in standard and also the ever increasing number of candidates appearing for such exams, the competition to score high marks is also becoming tough for every student. Coming from the student fraternity, securing a rank, a seat in their desired college or course, competing against hundreds and thousands of other aspirants on top of that is another task. There are also a lot of challenges in cracking these competitive exams.

While lakhs of applications are made, only a few thousand make it till the final selection round and this is where the skills to crack competitive exams become very important. Those who succeed usually have those skills that give them an edge over the others in the competition.

The competitive exams build confidence and develop skills among the students. These skills come handy in learning and understanding various examinations including JEE Main, NEET and Civil Services. It helps to think logically and analytically while answering the paper. It is important that one gets highly equipped with skills that help to overcome challenges and provide better results in the exam.

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Further, acquiring these skills is not going to be accomplished in just a day or so as one needs to start practicing and adapting for a long time. Any day is a good day to start inculcating skills that can help one in achieving success in exams.

These skills will not only help during the exams but also remain throughout one’s life as guiding factors for other situations and scenarios that we have to encounter and resolve. These skills include:

Listening

As a student, it is important to pay attention and listen carefully. Unless you listen to others, the possibility of gaining knowledge and understanding of the concert becomes difficult. Sometimes it happens that many students do not listen to teachers or instructors during the examination which leads to poor performance in the exam. They start making mistakes that can create a negative impact on their performance. As these competitive exams are very important for their future, listening can bring success in their exams. Whenever someone is trying to teach or explain something about the exam, you have to pay attention to them without getting distracted. Sometimes teachers or instructors might give some important information regarding the exam and if you miss the information just by not listening might create problems during the exam. So you should develop this skill for better learning opportunities

Problem Solving

All the students face one or the other issues and challenges during their learning process. It is important to understand how you can handle such problems? It is necessary to develop problem solving skills that can help you any time during the crises or any situations that are out of control. As you know we all live in a world where we can get into any problems that can be stressful sometimes. Instead of crying for help or ignoring the situation, it is better you start learning to solve the problem. To solve any problems, you must find out the reason behind the problem and make necessary adjustments to make sure everything is fine. For instance, you are preparing for the exams and find some issues related to notes, books, technical problems, internet issues, administrative problems. In such cases, these problems solving skills can help you in achieving success in your exams.

Thinking out of the Box

Thinking creatively can lead to expansion of your thought process for effective solutions. Young minds have the capability to think creatively during their learning process. Thinking out of the box can help in analyzing and solving problems. You must think of something that is unique and innovative so that understanding of the concepts becomes easy and simple. Every student has different thinking capabilities but you should understand what is right and work accordingly.

Team Work

The most important skill that every student should develop is teamwork. Learning becomes very effective when you discuss and work together as a team. Sometimes it is said that sharing and exchanging ideas can increase knowledge during the exams. It will help you in realizing the importance of unity and working together for better learning outcomes. There are possibilities where you do not understand certain concepts and your other friend does, in such cases studying and working together can help you understand the concept better.

Being Independent

As you know, each and every student has a different learning ability than others. You should understand your weaknesses and strengths in order to improve your knowledge by rectifying mistakes. Parents and teachers are always there to guide you but understanding your own qualities are very important. Once you understand the dos and don’ts in learning can lead to success in competitive exams. Sometimes there are possibilities that parents and teachers will not be able to help you in solving problems. It is up to you to identify your strengths and work accordingly.

Decision Making

We all know that teachers and parents are always available to help you in taking some decisions related to studies. So you should learn to make decisions by yourself and not depend on other people. During the preparation of competitive exams, you have to decide about the time table, when and what to learn. Your family and friends will not tell you to follow the routine on an everyday basis. It is up to you to decide the seriousness and impact of results in your exams. Planning and implementation of effective learning strategies should be developed and followed for better

Communication

The most important skill that every individual should develop is communication. You should adapt speaking and listening skills for effective communication. Speak and listen to things that can help for better learning opportunities. Good communication skills will make you understand the concept more effectively. If there is a clear communication between the teachers or instructors, there will be no misunderstandings related to exams and the process. You will not spend much time in understanding and thinking about the whole process of examination.

Time Management

Why do you think managing time during the examination is important? Well, it is very much important for students to develop time management skills for effective learning. Whatever you do and how well you prepare for exams will not bring success until you value and respect time. You should know to plan your studies by providing sufficient time for breaks. Everything has to be done in a particular time whether it is reading, eating, sleeping, playing etc. Once you understand the importance of time management in learning, there is always a scope for positive results.

Be Organized

Do you think being organized can give success in exams for the students? We all know that success comes when your mind and things are organized. Disorganization can cause confusion and stress for the students during the exams. So it is important that you adapt the skill of being organized for better results in the exams. Make sure that planning, time table, course materials, assessment, revision is organized properly in your schedule so that there is a positive outcome from your effort.

Taking Notes

It is better to take notes during your preparation for the exams. It will help in remembering information for a long time. You should make sure this habit continues for all the exams and future career as it can bring positive results. Taking notes on key points can help in understanding the concept. Sometimes you need to practice and solve many mathematical problems, equations, flowcharts, graphs, diagrams etc which can be understood only with practice.

Positive Attitude

Why do you think it is important to have positivity in our life and everything we do? We want to make sure that all the things around us fall in the right direction. As a student, it is advisable to have a positive attitude towards your learning and exams. At times, there are situations where you feel low in confidence and think about the poor performance. But hoping for good things in whatever you do is the right and positive attitude. All you need to do is give your best effort during the preparation and actual exams. You will have a lot of syllabus for the exams and this can create tension and anxiety during the preparation. In such cases, follow the routine of thinking positive and believing in yourself that you can do very well in exams. Sometimes this belief can relieve tension and help in successful outcomes

Collaboration

Do you know group studies can help students in improving their learning experiences. Sometimes, you might feel like discussing with your fellow classmates or friends who are also appearing for the competitive exams. It is really important to have a collaborative approach with your classmates or friends for effective preparation. When you study in groups, there are possibilities of sharing and exchanging ideas that can help you in preparing for exams. You can collaborate with your friends and teachers for effective learning. Sometimes it can happen that you might get some tips and tricks for learning that can help you score high marks in the exams. So following the concept of collaborative effort for the success of your exams is an important skill.

Learning Technology

You should take time to learn different technological tools to enhance your learning experience. There are many online tools available for improving your scores in the exam. For instance, you can take mock, practice and revision tests on such platforms for better learning outcomes. Once you start learning and understanding the tools, it becomes easier and simpler in terms of understanding the concept. It also helps you in effective communication, online resources, self assessment, feedback and personalized guidance. Everything is available online to gain success in competitive exams.

Understanding Learning Style

Every student has different learning styles when it comes to understanding of the concepts. It is important to understand that learning style can enhance your learning for effective results. There are students who adapt different successful methods of learning by being visual, aural, social or physical learners. Hence, these styles enable you to bring positive results in the exams.

Reading

We all know that reading helps in gaining a lot of knowledge to enhance your learning opportunities. You have to be open to reading new things around you that can give better results. Explore and discover new ways of reading in which you can bring success in exams. Make sure you inculcate the habit of reading everyday that can help in reducing anxiety during the examination time

The writer is a former school Principal.