Government jobs are some of the most lucrative opportunities out there. Every year, hundreds and thousands of graduates participate in some of the most competitive exams leading to prestigious positions. The fierce competition has given rise to so-called government job coaching centers. Some of whom are focused on cash grab opportunities rather than being an actual guide for the candidates. In that respect, the question arises, do students really need coaching to qualify in the government job examinations? The short answer is no and we’ll tell you why.

Step by Step Guide to Ace Government Examinations Without Coaching

First, ask yourself, why does anyone go to coaching centers for government examinations? Most of the examinations are aptitude based with a syllabus set from what the students have already learned in their 16 years of education before graduation. So why coaching centers?

First of all, the coaching centers are geared to be a guideline that will keep the students on track. It's normal to lose focus or procrastinate with the preparation while doing it on your own. A coaching center aims to eliminate the narcissistic approach and reign in the preparation.

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Now coming back to the point of not needing a coaching center, a student simply has to ensure that they don’t get sidetracked. As long as the students can keep their focus on the goal, coaching centers are simply a waste of money. 

With that in mind, self-preparation can be divided into three stages.

Initial Stage – The Plan

The first stage will focus on gathering information and motivation. Start by the following.

Understand the Exam

Every government job examination has a fixed syllabus and question pattern. The first thing is to collect and go through the syllabus in detail. Another approach would be to buy a job solution guide that lists the previous year’s questions and their solution. Understanding the syllabus is key to planning the next strategies.

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Collect Resources

Resources include study materials. There are tons of study materials that all claim to be the best in the market. Truth is, almost all of them are more or less the same. In this regard, focus on quality, not quantity. 

Buy any one or two books as reference for each subject rather than going all out. This will not only keep you on track for a comprehensive preparation but also be light on your pocket. Check previous topper interviews. They often tend to list their study resources.

Secondary Stage – The Preparation

If you’re done with checking the syllabus and getting the resources, it’s time to move on to the next stage – the preparation.

Make a Routine

The most important aspect of government job preparation is simply being consistent with the preparation. And it all starts with making a feasible routine. Make an adequate 5 to 6 hours of study plan every day. A routine will immensely help to stay on track and be strategic with the preparation.

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Set a Weekly Goal

The next target is to make small goals. Make a list of weekly learning targets and test yourself on the same. Study shows that human minds respond best when there is a sense of urgency involved. So a weekly targeted study will keep a student right on track.

Cutting Off Distractions

There can be a lot of distractions to studies. Part of the reason why most students go for coaching is to focus on studies staying away from distractions.

Some of the more common distractions include browsing social media, watching Netflix or Youtube, hanging out with friends, etc. Before you even realize it, they can severely hamper your preparation and create a backlog.

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So it's important to effectively cut off distractions during the preparation period leading up to the examinations. This is where a student will have to realize the opportunity cost of giving up socialization for securing a prestigious job opportunity.

Take Notes

From the context of Bangladesh, the government job examinations are more or less similar. They all follow a standard aptitude test style involving subjects covered in the secondary and higher secondary curriculum. Some specialized positions will have a specialized syllabus but for general positions, the syllabus remains more or less the same.

The reason why this is advantageous is that a student can appear in multiple examinations with a single combined preparation. In that regard, it is important to make notes. It's only human nature to forget things. Keeping a note will help to etch out important information in the head and revisit it when necessary.

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The Stage-Wise Preparation

Most government jobs in Bangladesh hold their recruitment in three stages – preliminary exams, written and then viva. The period from one exam to the other is relatively less. So rather than just focusing on say just the preliminaries, make sure to go after the written and viva preparations as well.

Final Stage – The Execution

Revision

The final stages of the preparation shouldn’t be focused on learning new things. Instead, focus on revising what you have already learned and revisit them topically. Job examinations cover a wide range of topics so it's important to focus on what's already been learned rather than learning new things at the last moment.

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Practice

Practice is important for technical aspects like mathematics and critical reasoning. The more you practice, the better your chances become of acing the exam. So set aside a certain time each day for practice.

Self-Motivation

It's normal to feel panicked as the exam days close. Rather than panicking and feeling lost, try to motivate yourself to stay focused. In your free time, you can do yoga or watch motivational videos for mental peace. Overall, try to stay calm and not take unnecessary pressure.

Adequate Rest

The importance of rest cannot be stressed enough. Sometimes students get so carried away with last-minute preparation that they completely ignore rest and self-care. However, this does more harm than good. Adequate rest should be ensured for a clear and efficient mind during the exam.

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Final Words

On the whole, whether students need coaching to succeed in the government job examinations, depends on style of hard work and preparation. Government job examinations are some of the toughest and most competitive exams out there. With the sheer volume of applicants against each opening, it doesn’t need much to say about the competition that goes behind. In such a scenario, a student can still ace them without having to spend sizable money for the coaching. All they need is the mental will, focus, and concerted effort as listed above.