Hi, I am often asked about the importance of reading newspaper. A lot of you tell me that while we get lots of material compiled from various coaching institutes and sources like that. Why should I read the newspaper because it sucks time, it takes too much of time away, and then it’s not a good idea? Well, I think for the kind of job that you have in your hand, writing this competitive examination, the newspaper is very VITAL and you cannot IMAGINE not taking the newspaper. Because those materials that the coaching institutes prepare, the magazines that they come out with, they are basically snapshots. Snapshot of a moving reel that you have got. You only appreciate those snapshots when you know how this movie has unfolded. And newspaper, on a regular basis, update you about the THINGS as they EVOLVE. Very important thereby, that you must read the newspaper. Now, the big question comes that how much of time should I be giving to the newspaper? Well, there is one thing that we have to bear in our mind and that has to be born in our mind is the fact that the newspaper is not published for you. So you should not while you have got the newspaper in your hand, it doesn’t mean that you read each and everything that is there in the newspaper. You must know what is IN the newspaper for me and then accordingly you should be picking up the information. I would like to today share with you a few of those facts that you should keep in your mind while using the newspaper or taking up the newspaper. First thing, just leave through the newspaper and IDENTIFY the news that you need to read. Because I don’t want you should be reading the newspaper with the same concentration. Just flip through the whole thing and identify the items that you are supposed to be reading. A big caution here- never read something that you look excited about like there are some sensational issues. I know what excites you in your age, so I would not like you to read those sensational news. That’s not for you. That’s for a lot of people. The newspaper as I told you in the beginning the newspaper is printed for everybody. So, you can skip that part. That’s something which you feel like reading more about it, please don’t go for that. Of course, when I say you feel like reading I mean those sensational ones. Now you have to basically try and see which is the newspaper that connects to your syllabus. So, that means you have to be very very clear about what is the content of the syllabus. If you know the content of the syllabus, you are picking up the information from the newspaper becomes very effective. The next thing that you should be looking at is that- I am not reading the entire thing, I am searching for the news item in a particular editorial in particular news. Just a scan fast, fast, fast, and try to locate the FACTUAL thing. In one newspaper on an average, you may find one information or two information. Just search for the data, the name, the place, the event, or whatever you have got something which is factual, look for that and then just underline that grab that. And once you have located those, I think I would expect you to ask yourself that what is the shelf life of it? Would this information remain till the time I am going for the examination? Well, I mean if you think it would not last that far, there’s no point picking this up. Because you are not picking up the information for note-making. Normally students prepare a small newspaper from a big newspaper. That’s not the point. The point is that I have to basically make it and use it for the newspaper and then for that, syllabus connect is very very important. And then its shelf life should actually last till the time that you are going for this examination. Then the next question you have to ask yourself, ‘can I memorize it?’ Because I am not allowed to carry my note which I am making out of this newspaper in the examination hall. So can I memorize it? And then, if you think you cannot memorize it, even if it is very important information, it’s very vital, I would still not expect you to be spending too much of time and energy on that. So, it is very important that you must always think that what is my capacity and based on that capacity you should be thinking about it. Then, also try and see those information that connects with a larger number of people, that issue which is going to stay for a longer time. These are the basic tests that you should be having. But, I think I am underlining one thing, newspapers are very VITAL. Even if sometimes, the questions do not appear of the current event but they are the ones which may have been discussed and debated in the newspaper. An examiner, I am sure, is buying newspaper. Please read any newspaper but do read newspaper. For the beginners who are still in the early stage of their preparation, I would like you to look at our website ksgindia.com where we are updating information on a daily basis that will give you some initial idea to know as to what kind of news item that you should be picking up and that would be some help and save your valuable time. But do not overspend time in the newspaper. And do not just skip newspaper and I am sure I have been able to convey how to make good use of newspapers. It is an important component of your total preparation. My best wishes.
