Strategy and Time management while giving CEED exam

 What is covered in this post

1. Time management during CEED Part A and B
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 (tentative) for the wrong answers. Even if one of the selection goes wrong, then the whole question will be evaluated as wrong.
• MCQ - 0.5 negative marking (tentative) 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. For all the five (less or more) questions, spend at least 2-5 minutes, at least, to read the question. Read the question very carefully and understand the requirement. Understand what is that they need and what you are supposed to do. Mind the evaluation criteria and plan to attempt only that much as asked. 
2. For sketching question, plan on what to sketch, the view, the objects to be shown etc. 
3. For problem identification, form, visual synthesis and creativity questions, spare time for ideation and imagine and give thought on what to do. Stay cool and relaxed and give initial thinking. If needed list down the keywords or key points (for example the problems, or creative ideas given shapes like a pen etc.) in the rough paper so that you won't miss the idea after some time. 
4. You will have to cover 5 questions in 2 hours. But, for the first sketching question you may spend up to 25-30 minutes. You can plan the remaining time for covering the other four questions. However, don't spend the complete 25-30 minutes initially. Follow step 5 and 6 for sketching. 
5. Keep a time limit of say 15-20 minutes to complete all the important 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
6. 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. 
7. After sketching take up next questions (whichever you feel is easy, start with that). Again, just like you did for sketching - attempting the outline to give a shape to the answer, quickly answer the question as per the ideation you do at that time (step 3).  
8. After attempting all the question and based on the left over time, start completing the questions in full form by giving details. Do this first for the four questions and after that you can spend the left over time on the sketching.  
9. If completing the sketch (initial line drawing) took whole time, then you may have to skip the detailing step. That's absolutely fine. But make sure that you are at least completing the sketch in terms of line sketching and form. 

 

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

• Though you answer Part B in the answer book given to you, you need to tick appropriate box on the computer screen to indicate that you have answered the same. If you don't your answer might not get evaluated! So be very careful in this.
• 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 CEED. 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 colors, 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. 

How to start and what to practice for NID-DAT exam

You can keep this PDF - A PDF with a complete list of SYL links to the NID exam

DAT Prelims covers the following (syllabus and pattern/markings listed in the official website is the same for both BDes and MDes)

• Knowledge
• Analysis
• Visualization
• Comprehension
• Creativity

Part A - MCQ for 70 points

Part B - Subjective for 30 points

Though Part A accounts to 70% of total marks compared to part B, the later (part B) needs ample amount of time for preparation. Because, as you know, sketching/drawing cannot be learned in a night. You cannot schedule it on the last week or on the last day unless you're skilled enough (above average or an artist by nature - with full confidence of making sketches in the stipulated time during the exam. In fact, this is not just about sketching, this is also about design/creative ideas. Your creative thoughts need to be refined by the time you reach the exam date. For that, you better practice on more design questions. So, assuming that you have a sufficient amount of time for preparation, start with sketching and practice on creative questions.

 
NID MDes CDAT new pattern - what is it and how to deal with it?

If your exam is around two months, then start your GK practice. GK here also includes general design aptitude like idea about famous designers, personalities, products etc. (You can check the suggested list of syllabus here) 

Imagination/creativity plays a major role in your performance, esp. for NID. So, you better prioritize it. Below, I'm giving a few points as strategizes.

Strategies

1. 

Start with basic sketches and then move on to making sketches minding details like texture, shadows, and, by giving importance to the shape of the object/human, size/proportion, view etc. In parallel, you can choose to study 'English' or 'comprehension'' part of Part A. 

2. 

Observe through existing sketches/drawings and understand 

• Details (shading, shadows, proportion of objects/human)
• Perspective and view
• Picturization
• Imagination of the artist - what is he trying to portray or communicate?
• Simplicity etc.

3. 

Set a weekly timetable - Based on your time and availability, plan for the preparation. You can choose to do weekly, bi-weekly or even every day. Spare some time for your preparation. If you've time and have good memory power too, dedicate some time for GK study too. Latest GK topics would be helpful to you apart from general knowledge questions including those studied during school days. 

Here's my strategy - as part of weekly timetable for NID preparation

4. 

If you are a beginner or average at sketching, then you need to do more work. Start by simply copy-sketching and after you improve on copy sketching, move to the next level of drawing those sketches in some other view/direction. This calls for your imagination skills. Once you do sufficient amount of practice on this, move on to the next level of creating your own sketches out of your imagination. You can consider some real-life examples or if you are out of questions, you can refer to this page on subjective questions for practice. 

5. 

Practice first on object sketching (drawing objects, humans/animals in a particular situation or in a particular instant - like an infant playing with a toy etc.) Practice lesser on scenarios or keep it as secondary practice giving priority to object sketching.

Subjective practice questions for BDes

Subjective practice questions for MDes

6. 

As you approach near to the exam (say only a few weeks are left for the exam), alter the preparation schedule. Give more time for general studies and comparatively less time for sketching. By then you should be able to do perform well on subjective questions. Regardless, keep working on your creative ideas because the more you think of creative solutions for problems, the more you will be benefited - both for the exam and for your career as well. You don't need to draw/sketch every time you think of some idea. Just that draw mentally in your mind and imagine how your IMAGINED idea would look like or make a rough sketch. This exercise would be fun btw.

Other than the above, you can have variations in your study pattern. No timetable can suit everyone. So, have your own. But, I would recommend you to go through a weekly timetable that I prepared keeping in mind everyone (student, working profession etc.) You can have a look at it and either follow it as it is (if you find it workable to you) or alter to as per your timing. 

Last but not least - it's your confidence that takes you to greater heights. All the best :) 

Additional video help for non-verbal and aptitude development

What to start? 

How to solve design aptitude, non-verbal, and Ability questions with examples

How to count no. of surfaces in given solids

Maths Basics for non-math background design aspirants

Here is my latest post - Improve imagination, work with 3D solids and unfolding of solid shapes