10 Tips to crack UCEED exam in 1 Month

UCEED is an entrance test for undergraduate design hopefuls catering to the universities such as IIT Mumbai and Jabalpur. With all the competition and the difficulty of the paper itself, it is no easy feat to crack this test.  It is one of the few design tests that does not require a skill in sketching and is conducted entirely on a computer, nor does it have a second round of testing. It is one of the more recently instituted entrance tests, and therefore doesn't have as much information regarding the test and the preparation required for it. The test is out of 300 marks, containing 80 questions.

The structure of the test is as follows:

Section A: Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions

For these questions, the answer is a number that needs to be entered using a virtual keyboard in the computer screen. No choices will be shown for these questions. Each correct answer will be awarded 4 marks. There is NO NEGATIVE marks for this section. Questions not attempted will be given zero mark.

Section B: Multiple Select Questions (MSQ)

Each MSQ has one or more correct answer(s) out of the four given choices. The candidate gets 4 marks only if ALL the correct choices and NO wrong choices are selected. There is NO NEGATIVE or PARTIAL marks for this section. Questions not attempted will be given zero mark.

Section C: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)

Each MCQ has four choices out of which only one is the correct answer. There is NEGATIVE marking for this section. Each correct answer will be awarded 3 marks and each wrong answer will be awarded –1 (minus one) mark. Questions not attempted will be given zero mark.

However by using these tips and tricks, excelling in the test is possible:

• Go through the UCEED brochure to understand the structure and syllabus of the exam and the types of questions featured in the paper.

• Although sketching and drawing skills aren't tested, concepts related to it are. For example, perspective, human figure and proportions, shadows and textures. Basic  Design principles are also tested, ranging from colour theory, typography to animation techniques. Use videos on DQ Edge for easy to digest information on these topics.

• With a month in hand, you can go through a decent amount of material and test questions on DQ Edge and it would adequately prepare you for the test. Topics from mathematics to design concepts, can be brushed over in varying depth depending on the time you have.

• Familiarize yourself with highschool level math, science and computer science, but give it less priority

• Geometrical concepts and exercises, like rearranging shapes from their 3D form to their 2D forms, are immensely helpful as it features in the Visualization and Spatial segment heavily, as well as helping you develop lateral thinking, creative problem solving skills etc.

• Since you have just a month, analyse your strengths and weaknesses. If you are good at a particular section then reserve less practice time for that area and vice versa.

• Since the last section of the paper is the section with negative marking, be extra careful with this section. Only answer these questions if you're absolutely sure of the answer.

• In terms of study material, the Manorama yearbook for GK, Books featuring verbal and numerical reasoning questions, Abstract tests etc, are all useful for practice purposes.

• But the most important part at this juncture is to continue solving UCEED past papers and UCEED sample tests , it will help you write the final paper at a good speed and with more efficiency. DQ Labs, a coaching institute for design, has an innovative online testing platform called DQ Edge. It consists of mock tests and predicted questions, all of which comes with feedback and suggestions of areas where the student is weak in. There's a section for students to post queries as well, these queries are answered by the faculty regularly.

• If you require more UCEED study material, mock tests or guidance in order to hone the skills necessary to excel in this test, enroll into a 1 month crash course, either online or at a coaching institute, for example DQ Labs.