Starting with a statistics of open category appliers in PG. Do you know that the percentage of getting PG enrollment for the first attempt is just 2% and surprisingly the success rate for second attempt is over 80%. Have you realized that in every exam only 10 questions separate the toppers from other serious contenders.

This incremental 78% is not because of surplus preparation time and recommended contents, it's hugely because of the exam experience, techniques and know how's of exams. Knowing what to do and not to do is very crucial.  This write-up is neither to teach you the basics of pharmacology or psychiatry nor are they to dwell with the nuances of Acid Base Balance of Indications of Jejunal Biopsy. Bringing you a year long experience and skills in just a 5minute read, following information will guide you properly towards success, if applied properly?  

When to start PG entrance preparation? 
Answer would be, As early as possible. Since PG exams are increasingly relying on new questions, reading important topics asked in entrances from standard textbooks can be done from 1st year itself. If too late then start subject wise books in internship.

How to study after internship?
Give 10+ hours. Subject wise and paper wise both ways practice is recommended to do parallel. Plan in advance which subjects you want to concentrate more on depending on your strengths and weaknesses.

Role of Textbooks?
Text Books are ineffective for revision. Read them only after finishing subject wise and paper wise books.
If you have seriously read textbooks then only revise from them. Don’t start them afresh and lose a year like some of your friends.  Time is precious and we can't afford wasting a year, can we?

What to concentrate more on?
1st Never get direct repeats from volumes wrong.
2nd Never get direct repeats from subject wise wrong.
3rd Study and revise repeat topics efficiently.
4th Get simple basic questions right.
5th Intelligently rule out options for difficult questions.
6th No one knows the answer for some questions, pray to god and do answer them.
Do not try to read everything and end up knowing nothing. Get first things first. The fact is even toppers in most exams seldom cross 80%.

Most important things during preparation are-
REVISION and TIME, use them effectively

Most important thing during exam ?
CALM MIND

Whom to take guidance from?

A person who has cracked PG entrance with whom you can relate. It is better if you consider yourself the same level as the person when he had started preparation. Don’t take advice from people who got it all right throughout MBBS and PG entrance. They are more likely to depress you into thinking it is impossible to crack entrance. ( for the record I myself an average MBBS student 65% who screwed up an extra year in PG entrance preparation)

Final Mantras

Never waste time
-PG entrance exams need total commitment and are uncrackable until you give it as a whole
-Get done with PG entrance exams as soon as possible
-Never give up hope
-It is not just enough to dream but work towards that dream when things don’t go your way

Good Luck