NIMCET Exam Preparation Experience 2023

Introduction:

I graduated from BCA in 2022 and started working full-time. However, pursuing MCA was a dream I refused to let go of. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) resigning from my job to prepare full-time for NIMCET 2023, like many others do, wasn't an option for me.

About:

NIMCET (NIT MCA Common Entrance Test) is an annual exam for MCA course admissions for 9 NITs (1. NIT Trichy, 2. NIT Warangal, 3. NITK Surathkal 4. MNNIT Allahabad 5. NIT Agartala 6. MANIT Bhopal 7. NIT Jamshedpur 8. NIT Raipur 9. NIT Kurukshetra). Some other colleges like HBTU and IPU also accept NIMCET scores for MCA admissions. With fierce competition and limited seats, thousands of students vie for success every year.

• Exam Date - 11 June 2023
• Timing - 9 AM to 11 AM (IST)
• Exam Fee - 2500 INR, for General Caste
• My exam center location - is TCS Gitobitan, Kolkata
• Organizer for 2023- NIT Jamshedpur

Preparation strategy:

I used Arihant's MCA book to prepare for the Maths section. During the last 1 month, solved how much I could of the previous 10 years' questions.

Challenges:

Balancing my preparation with a full-time job was an arduous task, especially on weekdays with limited study time and half-shifts on Saturdays. My only free day for preparation was Sundays.

Feedback:

On the exam day, a situation I never imagined happened. I was assigned a room with very noisy invigilators who kept talking loudly for all 2 hours of the exam among themselves. The question paper was tough too, on the level of the 2019 paper. Many times I thought I would request politely for them to talk slowly. But I didn't, as it would be seen as rude and precious minute(s) would be wasted in the whole issue. Every second of the total 7200 seconds is very crucial and valuable, any examinee cannot afford to waste it at all.

Tips and advice for you:

• Be prepared for noisy, talkative invigilators to be in your allotted room. Do not let this ruin your exam like mine
• If you're preparing for this exam while simultaneously doing a full-time job, on office days wake up early, prepare soundly for 2-3 hours nicely before starting with your office. I say this from experience, as after office you get tired and deadlines sometimes extend late into the night.
• Don't let the fact that the other aspirants - students, droppers, are dedicating more time for their exam preparation than you can, let you down. Believe in yourself, and know that you can do it.
• Whatever amount of time you give for your exam, dedicatedly study. If you're studying from books, sit 6 feet away from your laptop, phone, TV, tablet, and other distracting devices. Keep ALL SORTS OF distractions as far away from yourself as possible during study hours. If possible have a specific, tidy study area. If distractions are still hampering your progress, go to quiet libraries where they allow personal books to study.
• Solve each of the previous 10 years' papers 5 times. 4-6 previous year questions were repeated this year in 2023, in Maths and Reasoning sections.

My result:

My rank was 4125, so I didn't enter the admission counseling process as my goal was to secure admission to an NIT solely, which requires a rank between 500-700.

Conclusion:

With dedication and perseverance, balancing MCA preparation and full-time work is achievable. I hope my tips and advice prove helpful to you, my fellow aspirants, and please promise me you don't repeat my mistakes. All the best!