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Friday, April 18, 2008

Getting through to English Journalism Entrance test...

Make sure you are well-read on current affairs. That includes politics, finance, sports, entertainment, etc.
 
The test involves lots of essay type questions on a variety of topics. These are subjective questions and could be best tackled when you have been following the news carefully in the previous year.

The test is for 85 marks and there are a lot of long answers to be written. A big number of questions have to be attempted hence ration your examination time in such a way that you can answer the maximum number of questions as quickly as possible. There may be no time to go back to revise your answers.

Questions come in options. Normally each question is a set of three questions, from which you have to attempt only one.

Don't waste time thinking over answers. It's an awfully long paper. If you can't answer a question, quickly move on to the next one.

There are also some non-current affair questions. Example, you may be asked to describe your journey from your home to the exam centre.

There are some short questions as well. Example, "Why has Arjun Singh been in the news lately?" Such questions can be answered in one or two sentences.

Write in clear, concise English. Verbal gymnastics may not be rewarding as much as a simple, straightforward sentence.  

 
Preparing for this test

Read as much as you can on news and current affairs. It is necessary to know not only what is happening in the world, but why it is happening. You need not be an expert on these issues, but it is necessary to have a basic understanding of current affairs.

Read at least two good English dailies, preferably national newspapers. Do not miss the edit pages. Also supplement this reading with weekly news magazines such as Outlook, India Today, etc. Read other magazines, depending on your interest – Cricinfo, Filmfare, Businessweek, or even Maxim. There's no limit to what you should read.

Tap into alternate journalism on the web. There are excellent blogs on any given topic. Often, they provide better analysis of news than newspapers themselves because blogs are run by independent writers. Reading such blogs will help you understand news better and to form opinion based on solid understanding.

Don't undermine what you know. All knowledge counts. You may not be as interested in politics as you are in cricket or films. If so, read on cricket or films to your heart's content without worrying that it is "non-serious" reading. It is necessary to develop your own strengths since journalism can be richly rewarding for specialists. 

 
Group Discussion and Interview

Prepare for the GD just like you prepared for the written test. The topics would be around current affairs.

For the interview, be yourself. Speak clearly, speak your mind.

Search the internet for sample interview questions. Prepare for the basic questions too. You need to know clearly why you have applied for the course, why you want to be a journalist, etc. Have a good understanding of your life's successes and failures, ups and downs, strengths and weaknesses.
 
 
 
Contributed by:- Hemant A R

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