CUET UG 2026 Achiever Rajeshwari Mandal Shares Tips and Strategies for Cracking Entrance Examinations

(Rajeshwari Mandal, a CUET UG 2026 achiever from Kolkata cracked the examination through self-study despite beginning her preparation with limited time at hand. What started as an unexpected decision to appear for CUET soon evolved into a focused journey marked by strategic planning, disciplined preparation, and a determination to make every day count. Below is her account on how she started her preparation journey and what are things that helped her along the way.)

I AM RAJESHWARI MANDAL, a Class 12 student from Kolkata. I come from the Science stream and studied Biology, Psychology, Chemistry, Physics, Web Application, and English in school. 

Beyond academics, I am very passionate about writing. I enjoy writing articles, creative pieces, and expressing my thoughts through words. I also love painting and sketching, which help me relax and stay creative. I believe these interests have taught me patience, observation, and discipline, qualities that also helped me during my preparation journey.

Preparation Strategy for CUET : What Worked for Me 

Well, when I decided to appear for CUET, it wasn’t a decision that had been planned for months, but rather something very spontaneous. I began my prep with significantly less time. So, the situation appeared challenging at first. I’ll give you an example, for instance, the syllabus was huge, of course, the competition was intense, and there was always the thought that perhaps I was starting too late. Especially for a subject domain like Psychology, achieving such a high score in such a short span of time was unexpected even for me. But yes, I do believe in hard work.

I still remember the time when I started preparing for CUET. It seemed difficult initially as I decided to sit for CUET through entirely self-study, which is contrary to the normal mindset of how students generally choose to prepare for the examination. But anything different is what makes us unique, I feel. 

Since I was preparing entirely through self-study for CUET, I knew I needed to be extremely organized. I couldn’t afford to spend hours figuring out what to study next, scrolling through YouTube videos. Rather, I picked up the resources, books I already had from 12th. I made my own short notes. But what was equally important was being familiar with the exam and the paper pattern. I believe that no matter what exam we are appearing for, being familiar with its pattern is always the first step, even identifying the areas that carry the most weight. Once I had a clear understanding of the structure of the examination, I created daily and weekly goals that were realistic and achievable. Believing in myself was the key, I figured out.

See also: CUET UG 2026 Answer Key OUT: Steps To Download Answer Key, Raise Objections At cuet.nta.nic.in, Get Direct Link Here

The Role of Consistency and Revision in Competitive Exam Success

Personally, I feel, one of the biggest mistakes students often make is assuming that studying longer automatically means studying better. But the truth is, the hours don’t matter; the concentration does. Contrary to the belief, both studying 15 hours a day or 2 hours a day doesn’t guarantee results, rather a balanced, healthy and probably 6-7 hours of study with concentration is more helpful. This is just what I believe. During my preparation, I just concentrated on understanding concepts clearly, revising regularly like any other aspirant. 

NCERT books formed the foundation of my preparation and were undoubtedly the most important resources I referred to.

I spent a significant amount of time thoroughly reading and revising the NCERT textbooks because they provide conceptual clarity and cover the core syllabus effectively. For many domain subjects, NCERT is extremely important and should never be overlooked. However, while NCERT is essential, I would also recommend complementing it with mock tests, practice papers, and previous-year questions. These resources help students understand the exam pattern, improve their speed, and become more comfortable with different types of questions. In my experience, a strong command over NCERT combined with consistent practice is a very effective approach for CUET preparation.

Another crucial aspect of my preparation was consistency. There will be days when you will feel energetic, but there will definitely be days when you will procrastinate. Do not worry, it’s absolutely normal and healthy. It happened with me too. And this is a story of every aspirant, I feel. So, what helped me move forward was perhaps the decision to remain consistent irrespective of how I felt. Even on difficult days, I tried to complete the targets I had set for myself. Over time, these small daily efforts accumulated into significant progress. That was just my own coping mechanism..!

And yes, Mock tests played a crucial role in my preparation journey. Initially, they revealed many weaknesses that I wasn’t aware of. I discovered areas where I was losing marks, questions that consumed too much time, and topics that required additional revision. Rather than being discouraged by mistakes, I treated every mock test as a learning opportunity. Gradually, my speed improved, my accuracy increased, and my confidence grew. I became more motivated.

One lesson I learnt very early was the importance of revision and recapping. No matter what you’re doing, you must subconsciously continue recapping. And never give up perseverance, or else much of the information fades away. I made it a point to revisit previously studied concepts every day.

See also: CUET UG 2026: Final Answer Key Released, Results to be OUT Soon, Direct Link to Download Response Sheet Here

I also learned the importance of avoiding unnecessary comparison. During your preparation, relatives might compare you with others, and it’s not something bad. They are your well-wishers, and healthy competition does increase motivation. But I feel, at times like this, motivation in fact increases stress. It does more harm than good. So it’s important we avoid it. It is common to hear about how much others are studying, how many mock tests they have completed, or how far ahead they seem to be. It’s high time we stop comparing ourselves. We are what we are. That’s all that matters, as per me. Our goal should just be to improve a little every day.

Perhaps the most valuable lesson from this entire experience was learning to trust myself. One thing about tests is that it helps us to get to know ourselves, and we learn to take a step forward towards achieving our dreams. It’s not important what we achieve; the courage and spirit every student takes at an age like this is something that I think should be valued. Yes, even for me, there were moments of self-doubt, but I reminded myself that consistent effort eventually produces results.

What Every Aspirant Should Know Before Starting Preparation for CUET

For students who are preparing for CUET or any competitive examination, I have one crucial piece of advice, please do not let a late start convince you that success is out of reach. Create a realistic plan, stay consistent, revise regularly, and make smart use of the resources available to you. Most importantly, trust the process and trust your own capabilities. Do not get discouraged by what others say. Just aim for the stars and learn to value yourselves. It is your self-belief that makes you who you are!!

Looking back, cracking CUET UG 2026 remains one of the most memorable moments of my life. And I think I’ve become even more familiar with resilience, discipline, time management, and the importance of believing in myself even when circumstances seem challenging. I truly hope my journey reassures future aspirants that with determination, consistency, and the right approach, success is always possible. I realized that dreams do come true. It is truly rare but an extraordinary moment. This achievement will always remain close to my heart. 

(Edited by Ritik Singh)

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