Written by
Subrahmanya Hegde
Founder and faculty of SNBPLC. Qualified CSIR-NET, GATE and JEST in 2016-17. Training students for the past 8.5 years.
This article will be improved soon. Please visit again after 2 weeks.
This article is a continuation of previously published articles and video. If you haven’t read previous articles, watch the video below before continuing.
The method of preparation for CSIR-NET, GATE, JEST, TIFR-GS in Physics that is highly acclaimed by the student community is : “Solving standard textbooks along with PYQs”.
However, some frequently asked questions about this method are:
1. Where to start? How to start?
2. Isn’t it too time consuming?
3. Is it possible to complete the books in 6 months?
4. Isn’t it difficult to follow foreign authors?
In this article, I will try to address these questions.
Since time is the main constraint, I will focus on how to make the most of a 6-month preparation period.
Where to start?
Check your basic math first. Functions, calculus, vector algebra, complex numbers are essentials. Derivatives, concepts of maxima, minima, basic integrals, vector algebra etc. are day to day business in Physics. You must be good at analysing and plotting graphs. It is not just sufficient to have familiarity with class 11-12 math, you must be very good at it.
You can look into our free basic math training course which contains some videos and assignments. Better to do first 5-6 chapters (roughly) from Essential Calculus by Stewart. If you are struggling you may also refer Khan Academy resources.
As a next step, do some improper integrals such as Gamma Integrals, Gaussian Integrals etc. They come frequently in Quantum Mechanics, Stat Mech etc.
Taylor Expansion is another small concept that appears frequently in Physics. You may refer to Stewart calculus or video from 3Blue1Brown channel or explanation by Prof. R. Shankar
Thereafter, do some Differential Equations, Fourier Analysis, Linear Algebra etc. Having familiarity with Special Functions such as Legendre, Hermite are also better. Vector calculus can be done in Griffiths Electrodynamics.
Our basic math training course contains some Differential Equations and Fourier Analysis too.
Caution : Math itself is an ocean and never ending. Keep a timeline. If you are planning 6 month preparation, you must complete above math topics in 15-20 days. You can always look back into math concepts if you stuck later.
What makes standard textbooks difficult?
When you pick any standard book for your sem exams, you might have directly started with the chapter needed for your semester syllabus. Not reading the pre-face of the book is the biggest mistake one can do. You should understand the pre-requisites and how chapters are interconnected. You may also get ideas which chapter can be skipped without loosing continuity.
For example, for Griffiths Quantum Mechanics, you need Calculus, Differential Equations, Fourier Analysis, Gamma and Gaussian Integrals, Linear Algebra, familiarity with Special Functions etc.
To do Griffiths Electrodynamics effectively, you must be very good at Vector Algebra, Vector Calculus and Coordinates. That is, you should do first chapter carefully. If you directly land on Electrostatics or further chapters, you will obviously feel it is difficult.
Caution : Don’t be lost in math again and spend months of time on it. You can always look into math and practice it if you feel uncomfortable at any place.
Do I need to do all the derivations in the book?
Need not be. But, you need to do some small derivations so as to have familiarity with the topic.
For example, in case of 1D Box, do solve Time Independent Schrodinger Equation by applying boundary condition and get to know how quantisation condition appeared. In case of Quantum Harmonic Oscillator, do algebraic method (ladder operator method) completely and just take a note of analytical method.
If you are not doing any derivation means you are not doing Physics. You may miss structure of the theory too.
An illustration coming soon.
Caution : Once you land on interviews, you need complete hold on the subject including derivation skills (especially for TIFR and other top institutes). You can work on it soon after exams and before the interviews.
Also, in recent exams, occasionally they are designing MCQ/MSQ in such a way that you should have done derivations too.
Do I have to solve all problems from books?
If you are too good, and if you can finish on time, you may try that. But, to prepare for exams, no need to solve all problems.
There are many proof, derivation and theory related problems that one can skip, but we highly recommend students to take a note of those problems (better to solve them after the exam before going to screening tests or interviews).
Below slider contains types of problems that can be skipped and just a note is sufficient
There will be problems asking to calculate or to find something, where you apply the concepts are arrive at something. Those problems are doable within stipulated time. Also, MCQs can be designed out of them.
For example, below slider contains problems that can be done
Above slides are just for example. Understand the idea behind it and choose the problems.
There will be some problems which may look lengthy and you may think why to do this problem, as they may not design question out of it. But, the concept you realise in those problems and idea you get are very useful in solving PYQs. Most of the problems in the standard textbooks help you to realise one or other concepts.
Caution : Don’t completely skip proof or theory related problems. Take a note on them. If you completely neglect them, you may stuck in Multiple Select Questions (MSQs)
Once you work out sufficient theory and problem from a book chapter, you will get command on the topic and you are ready to go for PYQs. We have collected PYQs chapter-wise, which contains questions and a button to check answer key. Our students are developing solutions and posting in the comments, but, we strongly recommend you not to see the solutions.
Link to our chapter-wise PYQs : Topic wise previous CSIR-NET, GATE, JEST, TIFR-GS, IIT-JAM questions
If you haven’t solved any problems in your previous education, your mind may think slowly and may lack in way of thinking. In such case, you may be able to solve 40-50% of PYQs yourself. It may take some time for you to build way of thinking and reach 70-80%, which is needed for competition.
If you already have problem solving skills and some way of thinking, you will easily solve 70-80% of the problems yourself. You may need assistance for the rest.
If you land on PYQs after book learning, you will start understanding questions easily and start generating ideas.
In the whole process, book will help you learn and PYQs will help you to test your understanding. Once you solve them yourself, without looking into solutions, it will be yours.
Do I need to cover whole book?
No. These books may contain more than it is needed for our exam syllabus. So, you need to pick chapters smartly according to the syllabus and cover them. Even inside the chapter, you can leave the topics irrelevant for the exams.
Subject-wise recommendations
Go through our reference book page once. In the below contents, I am referring to authors most of the case rather than book titles.
I may use ED for Electrodynamics and QM for Quantum Mechanics. If hope you can understand it.
Feel free to reach us if you have any doubts.
Mathematical Physics
Max Time : 15 days
Our free basic math course covered Differential Equation and Fourier Analysis. You may practice problems from Grewal or H. K. Das or Mary L. boas.
For Linear Algebra, you can refer to Grewal or H K Das or Mary L Boas books.
For Complex analysis, along with Grewal, you can refer to Arfken and Weber.
Just grab mathematical methods and practice sufficient problems. Don’t be lost in mathematics itself.
Vector Calculus given nicely in Griffiths Electrodynamics. Concept of tangent and normals using gradient is missing in Griffiths. You can find it in Vector Analysis by Schaum’s series.
Quantum Mechanics
Max Time : 1 month
Begin with Zettili first chapter which contains some basic modern physics topics.
Then jump to Griffiths QM and cover first 2 chapters rigorously.
Thereafter, roughly go through R. Shankar 1st chapter which will help you to get Linear Algebra needed for formulation of Quantum Mechanics. Then do Griffiths 3rd chapter properly.
Then land on Griffiths 4th chapter. Here, while doing Angular Momentum, better to refer to Zettili Chapter-5 along with Griffiths.
While doing Identical Particles also, refer to both Griffiths and Zettili.
For Time Independent Perturbation theory, Variational Principle and Scattering theory, only Griffiths is sufficient. In Griffiths Time independent perturbation theory chapter, you will find some atomic physics too. In Quantum dynamics chapter of Griffiths, you will find Time-dependent perturbation theory and problems.
Statistical Physics
Max Time : 20 days
Do some basic probability and distribution before landing on Statistical Physics. Mary L. Boas is very good for Probability and Distributions. You mar begin with Grewal and then go to Mary L. Boas book.
From Reif Statistical Physics, do Chapter-1, Chapter-2, Chapter-6, Chapter-7 and Chapter-9 properly. Do chapter 6,7 and 9 rigorously. you can find Debye theory in chapter-10, and better to refer Charles Kittle Solid State Physics along with Reif.
Bose condensation not explained in Reif. We will publish some videos on it soon. Stay tuned on our YouTube channel.
Thermodynamics
Max Time : 10 days.
Begin with Reif 2nd Chapter Thermal, Mechanical and General Interaction and understand exact and inexact differentials. Then roughly go through Prof. David Tong notes .
Thereafter, do Chapter-11, 12, 13, 14 and 16 from Blundell and Blundell.
You can refer to Reif Chapter-3, 4 and 5 for necessary Thermodynamcs concepts. You can also keep Zeemansky for explanations and problems.
Electrodynamics
Max Time : 1 month
You need to cover most part of Griffiths Electrodynamics book. You may skip derivations of the later chapters such as Em Waves, Potentials and Fields and Radiation. You can also pick only necessary topics from 12th chapter; Electrodynamics and Relativity.
Classical Mechanics (for CSIR-NET and GATE)
Max Time : 20 days.
Classical Mechanics preparation depends on which exams you are focussing on. If you are targeting only CSIR-NET and GATE exams, you can focus on Lagrangian, Central Force, Small Oscillation, Hamiltonian and Canonical Transformation etc. (Roughly called Analytical Mechanics). In such case, refer Goldstein for theory and solve problems from J C Upadhyaya and Y. K Lim. You can do only those topics and chapters relevant to Syllabus.
From Goldstein, do Chapter 1, 2, 3, 6, 8 and 9 rigorously. Get brief idea on Rigid Body and other required chapters.
For Central Force Problem, do refer to Kleppner and Kolenkow also. Because, question need not be always on Lagrangian perspective.
Solve as many problems as possible from Y. K. Lim Analytical mechanics part. Especially solve MIT, Princeton and Berkeley problems from Y K Lim Analytical mechanics.
For Special Theory of Relativity, do Chapter 12 and 13 of Kleppner and Kolenkow. Griffiths ED 12th chapter may also help.
Classical Mechanics (for JEST and TIFR-GS)
If you are focussing on JEST and TIFR-GS, along with above Analytical Mechanics, you must do sufficient Newtonian Mechanics too. In such case, suggestion depends on whether you have prepared JEE or not. If you have solved enough Mechanics problems in class 11-12, you can pick David Morin or Kleppner-Kolenkow or both. Try to complete as many chapters as possible or at least go with some important chapters based on previous questions.
If you haven’t solved enough Mechanics problems in class 11-12, better to pick H. C. Verma Part-1 or Haliday Resnick and then go for Morin/Kleppner.
Specialisation topics demands multiple textbooks. Visit this article after 2 weeks for more updates on below subjects.
Electronics
Max Time : 20 days
First be good at some basic circuits and network theorems; KCL, KVL, Thevenin’s, Norton’s theorems, Superposition Theorem, Maximum Power Transfer Theorem etc. Have a clarity on ground concept. Get ideas on ideal/non-ideal voltage/current sources. You should know how Voltmeter and Ammeter are constructed using Galvanometer and what is ideal/non-ideal meters. You need some AC fundamentals too.
For Diodes :
From Boylestad and Nashelsky, read Chapter-1 roughly and note down Shockley equation. Do solve Chapter-2 rigorously.
For BJT :
Do Chapter 6, 7, 8 from Malvino and do some applications such as CE amplifiers. Thereafter, do Chapter-4 of Boylestad and Nashelsky.
For Op-Amp :
Do necessary chapters and topics from Gayakwad and solve relevant problems from Roy Choudhary.
Digital Electronics :
Book by Floyd is sufficient and you may refer to Malvino too.
Atomic and Molecular Physics
Max Time : 10 days
You can do Bohr Model and other basics from Chapter-4 of Arthur Beiser.
Chapter-5 of Bransden (Physics of Atoms and Molecules) covers most of the Atomic Physics needed (Fine Structure, Zeeman Effect etc.). Griffiths QM Time Independent Perturbation Theory also contains better explanations on Fine Structure, Zemman Effect etc.
For Molecular Physics, you can refer Banwell. For theory, you can look into Herzberg too.
Book by Rajkumar can be used for practicing problems.
Condensed Matter Physics
Max Time : 15 days (insufficient)
This demands multiple textbooks to get clarity. Since we referred many books to deliver this, it is difficult to consolidate in short. We will update more fine information on this soon.
For Crystallography and XRD, you can refer to Kittel and Ashcroft/Mermin. Kittel outside problems are good.
For Band Theory and Semiconductor Physics, better to refer Ali Omer with Kittel, Ashcroft/Mermin.
Ali Omer is better for remaining parts such as Magnetism etc.
Nuclear and Particle Physics
Max Time : 15 days
For Nuclear Physics, Krane book covers most of the topics. Do Chapter-3 and 4 properly. Pick necessary concepts from Chapter 8, 9 and 10. Do Chapter 17 and 18 thoroughly for particle Physics. While doing Particle Physics, you can read first chapter of Griffiths particle Physics for better flow.
You need to practice application of relativistic energy-momentum conservation for particle interaction. Griffiths ED 12th chapter contains some problems. Chapter-18 of Krane have some general ideas on energy-momentum conservation.
Revision and Full Length Tests :
As the syllabus is like an ocean, you may not stop covering the syllabus. You should complete the major part of the syllabus at least one month before the exam. Putting full stop to syllabus coverage and starting revision is the hardest part. Also, completing revision and taking full length tests are still harder. These should be done on time. You may keep revising until a day before an exam without taking mock tests. This should not happen.
Some students face exam hall problems. Although they have very good understanding and problem-solving abilities, they may struggle in the exam hall. Full length practice tests are a valuable tool to evaluate a student’s comprehension, speed, and independent problem-solving skills. They also help the students in developing time management skills.
In the exam hall these are important :
- Solving easy questions first and leaving lengthy questions for the end
- Not being stuck in the lengthy questions and spending 15-20 min on one .
- Not leaving any easy questions on the paper and time management.
- Distributing time to every section according the difficulties, etc.
To execute these in exam, you should take as many mock tests as possible, at least 20.
Finally
Above suggestions are keeping 6 month preparations in mind. Even if you can do more than that, it is better.
After exam and before interview, you better to pick at least 2 subjects and do the whole book including all derivations and cornered problems. Because, once you land on the interview, you will face a lots of follow-up questions which tests your command on the subjects.
Finally, let preparation process be difficult so that exam be easy.
All the best…!