Written Exam Mainly Tests Your Writing Skills

Debalina Dey, 2nd topper of RTV Department (2012-13), is currently working with the Press Trust of India.

Debalina's Article Last Year- IIMC Entrance Exam is a Cakewalk

Well, IIMC’s written test is basically a test of your writing skills and how well aware you are about current affairs. To crack the test, reading newspapers is a must. I won’t suggest you guys to read ten newspapers a day. That’s crazy. Read according to your capacity.

Keep a tab on the current issues of last six months. Make a list and read articles, listen to commentaries or watch TV debates related to those topics.

Since, this was an election season which saw the formation of a new government read about issues related to it. Read articles, magazines, newspaper editorials as much as you can. Watch news and TV debates. It might sound ridiculous considering the nature of debates Television nowadays broadcast. But TV discussions will give you good insights into various issues.

While writing answers, try to keep it within the stipulated word limit. It is actually difficult to write in a crisp, short and concise manner. It is an art to write crisp answers. So take it as a challenge. Also, never use long, big and ornamented words. Use simple and lucid language. I advise each one of you to practice writing everyday. This is an exercise I followed diligently while appearing for the written test and trust me it helped me immensely. Not only did it hone my writing skills, but it also gave me immense confidence. I knew that I would clear the test. And I want all of you to feel that confidence. Writing daily will take you ahead of others in this race.

The written exam allots 20 marks to short notes where you would be asked about important personalities who were in news. This section is the easiest. It will fetch you maximum marks. Just try to be to the point, do not beat around the bush. For this, keep a tab on the newsmakers of the last six months. Read about important people who died, who created controversy during elections and so on.

There is also a grammar section where you will be given words to explain their synonyms. This is something for which you need not rely on books or newspapers. Apply your logic and common sense. No additional reading can help you in this. It is basically a test of your grammatical skills.

Finally, a piece of advice for all of you: Do not panic. Tell yourself everyday ‘I will make it’. People think IIMC is a hard nut to crack but trust me it isn’t. Those who crack IIMC are not prodigies. They are as normal as you and me. What you need is hard work, dedication and sincerity. And one last thing, READ newspapers. Make it your habit. And do not leave reading newspapers once you crack IIMC. If you seriously want to pursue journalism, reading newspapers should be at the top of your ‘to-do’ list.

So, Good Luck!!!