Preparation guide for TISS entrance exam 2021

TISS entrance exam also called TISSNET, is conducted by Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai for admissions into its masters’ program for management in its campuses at Mumbai, Tuljapur, Guwahati, and Hyderabad. It’s an annual exam conducted at the national level on online mode. This year the TISS entrance exam is scheduled to happen on 20 February, 2021.

TISS entrance exam pattern

TISS entrance exam is conducted in a computer-based online mode in 39 cities. The exam timings are from 2:00-3:40 pm. The test has 100 questions, all multiple choice types. The TISS entrance exam paper comprises of three sections: 

• English Proficiency
• Mathematics and Logical Reasoning
• General Awareness

While the English proficiency and Mathematics and Logical reasoning section carry 30 marks, the last section of General awareness carries 40 marks. There is no negative marking. 

Tips to prepare for TISS entrance exam 2021

English proficiency

The English proficiency section comprises of:

• Vocabulary based questions (pairing on the basis of synonyms and antonyms)
• Reading comprehension
• Word analogs
• Rearrangement of sentences

To perform well, the student has to develop a reading habit way before the exam. This can be done through reading at least two RC passages per day along with other articles in the newspaper or journals or even non-fiction novels. This will also help them in improving their vocabulary especially required for the TISS entrance exam as direct questions based on vocabulary are asked in the exam. Grammar can be worked upon through daily grammar exercises dealing with verbs, punctuations, pronouns, etc. Along with reading, a writing habit can also be developed to improve grammar in specific.

The suggested books for improving this section are:

• High School Grammar by Wren & Martin
• How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT by Arun Sharma & Meenakshi Upadhyay
• Compendium General English by BB Jain
• The Pearson Guide to Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for CAT by Nishit Sinha]
• Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis

Mathematics and Logical Reasoning

The mathematics section of the TISS entrance exam is similar to CAT but the difficulty is at a level lower than CAT. For preparation for this section, students are advised to brush up their concepts first to gain clarity and then focus more on problem-solving. Through rigorous problem-solving, the students will come up with tricks and shortcuts they’ve explored. These tricks and shortcuts as well as formulae should be noted so that they can be referred to just before the exam. This is important as these shortcuts will save the time of candidate during the paper. The key areas of the paper include: 

• Ratio and proportion
• Geometry and mensuration
• Algebra - functions, quadratic equations, etc
• Time, speed, and distance
• Set theory

The suggested books for improving this section before taking the TISS entrance exam this year are:

• Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by R.S Aggarwal
• Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations: Abhijit Guha (McGraw Hill Education)
• How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for CAT by Arun Sharma
• Quantitative Aptitude for CAT by Nishit Sinha
• Quantitative Aptitude Quantum by Sarvesh Kumar
• How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for CAT by Arun Sharma
• Logical and Analytical Reasoning by A.K. Gupta
• A Modern Approach to Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning by R.S Aggarwal

General awareness

General awareness refers to current affairs as well as general knowledge. This section can be improved by reading newspapers, journals, etc., regularly. As dates are of importance from the exam point of view, it is advisable to make notes of dates as well as important events. The priority areas in this section should be:

• Current affairs
• Geography
• History
• Economic processes
• Literature
• Social issues
• Art & Music (Global)
• Politics

The suggested books for improving this section are:

• Competition Success Review
• Pratiyogita Darpan
• Manorama Year Book 
• Other newspapers & journals

Apart from section-wise tips to follow for the TISS entrance exam, mock tests can also be taken by the candidate to analyze his/her weaknesses in terms of other factors such as time management, accuracy, choosing the right set of questions to solve, etc. The candidate should also remember that it's important to stay calm during and just before the exam day. It’s necessary to get good sleep, eat healthily, follow a suitable routine, and re-read all the notes before the final day. 

All the best!

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