MBA Entrance | CAT | 10th October 2022
Whenever we talk about MBA preparation, sections like Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, Verbal Ability are the ones that are always prioritized. But, General Knowledge/General Awareness is usually left out. Maybe because it is vast and there is unfamiliarity with this section.
However, it is important that a significant number of MBA entrance exams, like SNAP, IIFT, MAT, CMAT, XAT, etc., have a separate section on General Knowledge or General Awareness. Which not only enables better accuracy but also adds on for GD-PI, Extempore, etc.
It is always seen that a maximum of aspirants are from technical background thus they don’t feel comfortable with subjects like history. However, if you want to hit the nail on the head in your MBA examination, subjects like history, geography, static GK, etc. can make it easy because there is nothing to calculate or guess, thus better accuracy.
Now that I have laid it out for you that GK doesn’t only deserve a good thought but a thorough preparation as well when thinking of MBA entrance exam preparation. I would also like to address an important topic that is to be covered in the GK section – History. The idea is to establish the fact that history is no mystery if you know how to go about it.
History for MBA entrance exams includes World History and Indian History, where the focus on Indian History is recommended as per the general trend.
Warmup So, if you are not so comfy with History as of now and want to establish familiarity, start with basic textbooks. You will get to brush up on your terminology and timelines. All this will give you a base to headstart without burdening you at once. You will be able to form a story around events and it will hang on to your memory. My other go-to starting point is the previous year's questions and syllabus.WHY? WHY NOT? You will know what all to be covered and what kind of information to retain as per the question. Thus, no overloading and efficient utilization of leftover time from other more prioritized sections.
Sweating it Out History is all about chronology. You need to remember dates, you need to remember wars, you need to remember timelines. To add to your woes, there are details as well.
What to do?
Three things only.
One, story it out. This will help you form a thread of the events in your mind, you will know what came after what. And then details will be part of your story making it convenient for you to ascertain the timeline. You can refer to online videos, they will be of great help here. With online videos, your visual memory aids the retention and you get the story readymade.
Two, zero down your sources and make notes. Suggested sources –Basic textbooks and any competition-oriented handbook. Your notes would be time saviours, they need to be keywords from the text you are referring to help you recall the content. And thus you would not need to do the same heavy lifting of reading the whole text again and again.
Three, write your dates and revise. Yes, just like the formula. Keep in mind you have to use the formula and then get an answer, knowing a date is already an answer. Writing increases retention two-fold. Put it out there on your table. Preplan the revisions in a bi-weekly repetition plan. Then, use as many mnemonics and tricks as possible to recall and relate. I will give you an example here; KFC(Right Knowledge, Right Faith, Right Conduct) for three principles of Jainism.
As and when your exam is scheduled, you can get into the revision and testing mode accordingly. Revision is an integral part of your preparation. It is always advised to spare enough time to revise what you have covered. Your retention and application of details get better with the number of revisions. And you would need this not only for Entrance exams but the interview and GD-PI rounds as well.
Go for some sectional tests to know if you can use the information that you have gathered. After that maybe chill a little and pat yourself for mustering the courage to prepare a section usually ignored.
All competitive exam preps are all about making the right plan, a self-made plan tailored to your abilities and the demand of the exams. Each Section holds its due importance in such exams. Key takeaways, in short, would be –
These were easy tips to make History doable for you, in case you feel it should be in your plan. Go, Break a leg!
