The "Twisted" Paper: My Take on the Jan 7th UGC NET Management Exam




The January 7th session of the UGC NET Management (Code 17) exam has just concluded. For many, it was a test of endurance and conceptual depth rather than just memory. If you walked out of the hall feeling that the paper was "lengthy but logical," you aren’t alone.

Here is a comprehensive breakdown of the key highlights and section-wise trends from today’s shift.

Paper 1: A Smooth Start with Data Interpretation

I was pleasantly surprised by the Data Interpretation (DI) section in Paper 1. While DI is often the "time-sink" of the general paper, today’s set was reasonably easy.

  • Structure: The DI was table-based, focusing on basic Percentage, Average, and Ratio calculations.

  • Strategy: Starting with this section proved beneficial, as it provided a quick 10 marks and boosted confidence for the more abstract Logical Reasoning and Teaching Aptitude sections.

Paper 2: Management – Deep Dives and Conceptual Twists

While Paper 1 was manageable, Paper 2 demanded a higher level of "application thinking." The questions were rarely direct; instead, they were slightly twisted conceptually, requiring careful elimination of options.

1. Core Heavyweights: Finance & Operations

There was a significant weightage on Finance and Operations.

  • Finance: Numerical and theoretical questions on Capital Budgeting, Capital Rationing, and the MM Hypothesis were prominent.

  • Operations: Focused on Inventory Management (EOQ), Transportation  and Johnson Scheduling logic.

2. The HR & Strategy Mix

Organizational Behaviour (OB) and Strategic Management sections moved away from simple definitions.

  • OB: Questions on Motivation theories and Leadership models were presented in situational formats and sequential Formats

  • Strategy: Frameworks like VRIO and Porter’s Five Forces were tested through "Match the Following" or "Assertion-Reasoning" formats.

3. Focus Area: International Business Theories

One of the most specific areas of focus today was the Theories of International Business. Candidates were tested on the core logic  through sequence based questions

The Grand Finale: Reading Comprehension

The exam concluded with two heavy-hitting Reading Analysis passages:

  • The Compensation Debate: A passage comparing Socialism vs. Capitalism-based compensation, exploring the implications of types of compensation

  • The Jensen Takeover: A  deep-dive into Michael Jensen’s theories on Takeovers, specifically focusing on agency costs and corporate control.

My Personal Take: The "Heart" vs. The "Grace"

Reflecting on my own performance, it was a tale of two halves. I felt a strong sense of control during Paper 1, where I managed to attempt about 80% of the questions whole-heartedly. The logic clicked, and the DI provided the momentum I needed.

However, Paper 2 was a different beast. Given the conceptual twists and the sheer volume of Finance and Strategy questions, I felt truly confident in about 50 - 60% of my attempts. As for the remaining 40%? Between the complex Jensen paragraph and the tricky OB scenarios, those responses have been left entirely to God’s Grace.

Now, the wait begins. To everyone who sat for the exam today: take a deep breath—the hardest part is over

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Day Carved in My Heart: Attending My Dad’s PhD Thesis Seminar At Presidency College Chennai.

Image
                                                                                                                         My Dad Presenting His thesis at Presidency College, Chennai Some days don’t feel like days at all. Last Friday, December 5 2025, was one of those days. Apart from remembering this day when Honourable CM Selvi Jayalalithaa passed away 9 years ago in 2016, this day will always be an iconic day in my memoir.  They feel like stories—quiet, glowing chapters that life writes for you. The day I attended my dad’s PhD thesis seminar at Presidency College, Chennai , was one such chapter. The Venue: A Pillar of Madras Academia Presidency College, with its grand architecture...
Read more

Replicating the Aravind Eye Hospital Model for Affordable Quality Healthcare in India- In memory and tribute to Founder Doctors V and Swamy

Image
    S – Standardize High-Volume Protocols Draft national care pathways (NCPs) for cataracts, diabetes care, dialysis, etc., inspired by Aravind’s SOPs. Enable hospitals to adopt process innovations , not just technological ones.  C – Create Regional Vision & Health Hubs Support 1,000+ satellite centers in rural areas via Ayushman Bharat HWCs and PMJAY convergence. Promote hub-and-spoke models across all states.  A – Accelerate In-House Manufacturing Enable MSMEs and social enterprises to create local Aurolab-like models for surgical consumables, lenses, and devices under Make-in-India.  L – Leverage Non-MBBS Workforce Introduce short-term diplomas to train mid-level health personnel (MLHPs) modeled on Aravind’s MLOPs. Integrate MLOP training into Skill India and NHM verticals.  E – Establish Outcomes-Based Payments Reward hospitals that achieve low infection rate...
Read more

An Innovative Solution to avoid long times at Road Crossings-WASS(WALK ACROSS SIGNALS SAFELY)- Making Pedestrian King of Cross Roads

Image
  PART A - IOT Setup of Project Hello everyone! Recently i was exploring IOT options based on Python in my job search , so in this blogI’m going to show you a simple IoT-based Traffic Light System created using a Raspberry Pi 5. This project demonstrates how a physical button and LEDs can simulate a pedestrian crossing signal, and how the same system can be extended into an IoT device.” (Listen To the video for visuals and entrepreneurial idea development from the project)(I would be thankful if I can be considered for Entrl level Python development projects) 📦 SECTION 1 — Components Used (Show the parts) “The components used in this project are: Raspberry Pi 5 A breadboard One Green LED One Red LED A 3-pin Button Module 220-ohm resistors Jumper wires” 🔌 SECTION 2 — Circuit Explanation (Show close-up of breadboard) “Here is the circuit setup. The Green LED is connected to physical pin 15 on the Raspberry Pi. The Red LED is connected to physical...
Read more