Time management and Strategy while you give UCEED exam

What is covered in this post

1. Time management during UCEED exam
2. Strategy to give your best
3. Tips to avoid nervousness and stay proactive during your exam 

Negative marking for Part A as of 2021

• NAT - No negative marking
• MSQ - 0.2 negative marking for the wrong answers. Even if one of the selection goes wrong, then the whole question will be evaluated as wrong.
• MCQ - 0.71 negative marking for the wrong answer

Topics covered (mostly) under the sections

• NAT - Numerical, some mathematical, non verbal
• MSQ - Mostly ability, reasoning, image based aptitude,  
• MCQ - Mostly simple and basic image based aptitude that are simple, including design and basic math aptitude, design GA 

Strategy for Part A 

1. First step - I recommend you to start with MCQ. If a particular question is taking too much time then skip that question and move to the next one. Make sure that you are touching all the questions. Mark the option only when you are at least 80% sure of your answer.
2. Second step - Take up NAT part. Again, if any question is appearing difficult then just skip that and move to the next question
3. Third step - Finally come to MSQ part. This part is where most of you might make mistakes - by missing something, or choosing one or more wrong choices. Be careful and answer the question only if you have verified all the given options and are more than 90% sure of the answer. Otherwise you will be unnecessarily loosing the marks in negatives. This discussion is applicable for MCQ as well.

Time management for Part A

1. On an average spend at the max 1.5 to 2 minutes for each question in the beginning, regardless of marks. 
2. Spare at least 10 minutes at the end to recheck your attempted questions and to answer the missed questions.
3. If a questions seem to take more than that then keep skip that for the time being. Note the Q numbers in the rough paper given to you so that while you recheck at the end it will be easy to identify those questions 
4. Make sure that at the end of the exam you have gone through all the questions. This is because there might be some easy and instant answerable questions and you might just miss marking that just because you couldn't get time to even read the questions. So, go through all the questions. 
5. Answer all NAT questions even if you are not confident. Coz NAT part doesn't have negative marking. If you are not sure of the answer, then use some common sense, or your intuition or even some logic to roughly estimate the answer. Make sure you are not missing any NAT.
6. Remember, no need to answer all the questions! No need to give 100% attendance :P In that process you might end up with large negative marking. Answer only those few that you are pretty confident. Save yourself from negative marking by being smart!
7. You better assume attempting MCQ and NAT as top priorities. Be very cautious while attempting MSQ 

Strategy and time management for Part B

1. Spend 2-5 minutes, at least, to read the question. Read the question very carefully and understand the requirement.
2. Plan on what to sketch, the view, the objects to be shown etc.
3. Keep a time limit of 20-25 minutes to complete all the elements of the sketch. By elements I mean the important parts of your sketching - Proportion or relative sizes, perspective, size, shape, clarity, line quality etc. Try to keep these features in mind while you sketch
4. I always recommend you to start with line sketching. Quickly complete the initial basic line sketching by covering all the parts of the given situation requirements. This you should be able to do in 20-25 mins.
5. If time is left, then use the left over time to decorate and complete the sketch - shading, texture, details like shadow etc. 
6. If completing the sketch (initial line drawing) took whole time, then you may have to skip the detailing step. That's fine. But make sure that you are at least completing the sketch in terms of line sketching. 

 

Tips to stay calm, cool, and free from nervousness

• Whether you are prepared or not, your positive mindset and your attitude matters. This is going to help you stay cool, smart, and active so that with these mindset you will be able to answer even the difficult and the answerable questions! 
• Attitude matters - Be with the attitude: 'It's ok even if I don't clear the exam. I will have alternate options.' Having this mindset will help you stay calm, and avoid the fear for missing the high ranks. Whether you are prepared or not, your positive mindset is what helps you a lot. So stay with this attitude and give the exam assuming that it's just your job to give it. 
• While you are waiting to enter the exam hall in the morning of the exam day, listen to some good and motivating music using headphones.
• Or, While you are waiting to enter the exam hall, see if you can play some mind games. Your mind should be kept busy and free.....far from the thought and fear of the exam. With free mind you will be able to give your best!
• Or, make new friends at the hall before the exam (or even spend time with your own friends who are present there) so that you can discuss with them on general stuff like where they prepared, what's their future plans, any new colleges they have identified for design, what are their college recommendations etc. 

Further tips

• Be confident. That is the only tool/armor you have. Even if you prepared in full form but if you are not confident and positive, you might not be doing your best. It is absolutely ok to be half prepared or even unprepared but confident fully!
• Sleep well before the day of exam. Don't end up sleeping early in the morning during the exam :P 
• Don't rush to revise before exam, at least relax yourselves before two hours, by compromising yourself that you have covered everything. Remember the pattern has diverse topics, so it's never complete! Likewise you are never unprepared! you might have observed that on the spot solving questions are well asked in UCEED. So, you are already well prepared :)
• Mind the time during exam. Time management is very important. Questions like reading comprehension, aptitude etc. are time consuming but the good part is we can be more sure about the answers. GA questions are time savers - only if you are aware or heard about that; otherwise be careful in answering them!
• Don't get fooled by complex looking image questions. They look difficult to solve but in actual they are quite similar like we solve normal geometric questions. Just try them!

Finally

1. Carry all those things that are listed to be carried to exam hall - including 
2. admit card, 
3. ID proofs, 
4. pencil, 
5. pen etc. 
6. Art media like colours, pads, papers etc. 
7. Papers will be provided to you for rough works.

That's it, I hope we both (me and SYL) helped you in some form :P

Remember, The Attitude!

All the best,

Your bro,
Bhanu.