CUET UG 2023 Topper Interview: Topper Prarthana Drolia (100 percentile) says Preparing Well Ahead Helps in Managing Time Before Exams
Prarthana Drolia from Patna is one of the toppers in the CUET UG 2023 exam conducted this year from May 21 to July 5, 2023. A student with a set goal of course and college for her future, Prarthana speaks to Jagran Josh on her preparation for the entrance exam and her study techniques and strategies Topper Interview: Prarthana Drolia from Patna bagged her spot in the list of students scoring 100 percentile in the CUET UG 2023 exams. She has secured full marks in four subjects making her one of the toppers in the CUET UG exams. Prarthana scored a total of 799.64/800 in her CUET UG exams.
Her success is an example for future students who will be preparing for the CUET entrance exams. Prarthana achieved the 100 percentile in English, Accountancy, Business Studies, and Economics. Her goal was to secure a spot at the prestigious Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University. Read more to know about Prarthanas preparation strategy and how she worked towards her aim of securing her position at her dream college.
1)What motivated you to appear in CUET UG? Have you appeared for any other entrance exams?
Answer: Everyone wants to secure admission to the best colleges. I wanted to pursue B.Com (Hons) from Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University which is one of the most prestigious institutions in the country. I had a two-month window between my board exam and the CUET entrance to prepare. I did not appear for any other entrance exams as I didn’t want to shift my focus even a bit from CUET.
2)What was your score in the CUET Examination?
Answer: My CUET UG scores were as follows
English – 199.64
Accountancy, Business Studies, and Economics – 200
Maths – 167.61
General test – 182.98
Overall 799.647/800
3)Why did you choose SRCC?
Answer: I heard about Shri Ram College of Commerce from my peers and teachers. Apart from that I also conducted my research regarding the colleges for B.Com (Hons), I realised that the exposure given by the college was impressive. They had good placements as well. Along with SRCC however, I also applied to St. Xaviers College, Calcutta.
4)When did you start your preparations for the CUET exam?
Answer: I started preparing for the CUET UG exams after completing my board exams. I covered all additional syllabi like computerized accountancy and decided to attempt these questions which will save me time during the exam
5) What study techniques or strategies did you employ that you believe contributed to your exceptional performance in the CUET 2023 exams?
Answer: Studying thoroughly for boards really helped me a lot because the syllabus was mostly the same. Also, if one has prepared for subjective examinations, acing a fully MCQ-based exam becomes quite easy. I started preparing for the additional syllabus that was in CUET only after my board examinations. There was a gap of roughly 2 months between boards and CUET. It was sufficient enough to cover the additional part and practice MCQs.
Firstly I completed the additional syllabus. Next, I revised each chapter and then solved the MCQs of that chapter. After I was done with all the chapters in this manner, I solved the previous year’s questions which were mailed to me by a YouTuber, who is also my senior at SRCC, after I filled in a Google form.
6) Did you have a structured study schedule or routine for CUET UG 2023 preparation, and if so, how did you manage your time effectively?
Answer: No, I did not have any sort of fixed study routine. I just had my target in my mind and that was to study each chapter, solve the chapter-wise MCQs and finally, solve the Previous Year’s Questions before sitting for the exam.
I think effective time management can only be achieved by consistency so that you don’t have a lot of burden right before the exams which can deprive you of proper sleep and hamper your mental peace as well.
7) How many domain tests did you appear in for the CUET exam?
Answer: I appeared for English, Accountancy, Economics, Business Studies, Mathematics, and General Test.
8) Which subject is your strong one and which is the weakest? Are NCERT books sufficient for preparations?
Answer: I am not weak in any subject as such but I like Accountancy and Mathematics more because the major portion in these subjects consists of practical questions. Even macro and microeconomics are concept based, so they are comparatively easier for me. Theory-based subjects such as Business Studies and Indian Economic Development seem a bit boring to me. Still with preparation, scoring in them too is not that difficult!
NCERT is sufficient for subjects like business studies but in the case of economics, I would recommend Sandeep Garg. For applied mathematics, there is no NCERT available as of now, so I would suggest ML Aggarwal as the best option. To practice practical questions in accountancy, reference books of authors such as DK Goel, TS Grewal, and SC Sharma are recommended.
9) How did you balance your academic commitments with extracurricular activities or personal interests during CUET 2023?
Answer: As I had been preparing from the first day itself, I didn’t have a lot of burden during the exams which helped me to manage my time between academics and my personal interests or hobbies.
10) What is your dream college for studying UG programmes? What is your aspiration in the field of your programme and which specialisation would you be interested in?
Answer: My dream college is Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University. I aspire to learn more about Accounting, Financial Management, etc by pursuing B.Com (Hons). I would be interested to specialise in Finance, Business Administration, and Entrepreneurship.
11) Looking forward, what are your aspirations and future goals, and how do you plan to continue your academic journey?
Answer: I would really love to become an entrepreneur! As far as my academic journey is concerned, currently, I am preparing for Chartered Accountancy along with B.Com. I am also planning to opt for CFA, post my graduation.
Courses such as MBA, FRM, etc are also considerable and would really help anyone to build a good career! I think I will have a clear idea once I am done with my graduation as till then I would become aware of my interests in a better manner and would have discovered what each course holds in store for me!