Blog 1
How many hours do you think you spend these days staring at that little screen in your hand? For some people, it’s just a few hours. For others, it’s almost 24/7 basically every minute except when they’re asleep. With new apps and influencers popping up every second, our time just gets swallowed up.
This month, my parents got me a new smartphone, and honestly, I was so excited! I started downloading and using every app you can think of. But guess what? It started eating up my time like crazy. My screen time went from just a couple of hours to almost 5–7 hours every single day! Even my schoolwork is on this tiny screen now. It’s super useful, but sometimes I feel… uncomfortable. I even tried looking up ways to reduce my screen time, but most of the advice I found online was just plain useless.
And the thing is, almost every app has infinite scrolling. Some posts are great, some are a total waste of time, but still I keep scrolling, waiting for the “next best post.” That’s when I started thinking: what if I could actually use my screen time for something better?
That’s when I found Adobe Express. And honestly, it changed everything! Now, instead of wasting hours scrolling, I spend my time creating. No guilt; just fun and learning. It’s like having a mini premium Canva right in my pocket. Whether it’s for school projects or just messing around in my free time, it’s easily the best thing I’ve discovered in the last few years.
So yeah, my screen time is still high… but at least now, it feels totally worth it.
Blog 2
If you already have strong creative ability developed through your school curriculum by the time you reach secondary school year, the Creative Ability Test (CAT) of NIFT is not particularly difficult. The same applies to the General Ability Test (GAT). In fact, preparation usually requires attention to both exams, and on top of that, the Situation Test (ST) also demands focused practice. In short, a serious aspirant needs to prepare for all three: GAT, CAT (not to be confused with the management entrance CAT), and ST. We need to play with colors, patterns and designs almost daily 4 to 5 hours to make these three format easier. Singh Studio will definitely help and I became a fan of it. By far this is one the best I ever came across. In fact practicing with patterns and colors can easily achieve the cut off score. Try speed drawing, speed patterns and just use your creative intuition.
This preparation is necessary regardless of your school curriculum—whether CBSE, State board, ICSE, IB, or international schools. But here is where an important distinction comes in: CBSE students often enjoy a clear edge. The reason is simple: nothing prepares a student in both breadth and depth of academic content, especially in science subjects during grades 11 and 12, like CBSE does. I have already completed my grade 11 in CBSE. But due to age restrictions here I have to start all over in my grade 11 here. In fact I am losing a year. But this gives me time to switch to CAT/GAT/ST format.
For many CBSE science students, the CAT-GAT feels almost like a cakewalk compared to the rigor they’re already used to. That said, this advantage is less obvious for students from non-science CBSE streams.
While it’s often claimed that NIFT exams test entirely different skills compared to national-level engineering and medical exams, the reality is more nuanced. There is a subjective correlation in the type of discipline, accuracy, and systematic thinking required, and CBSE students tend to recognize this link almost instinctively.
The truth is, the rigor of CBSE is difficult for other curricula to match. The vastness, speed, accuracy, and depth it demands put it miles ahead of IB, ICSE, or any International and State syllabi. That explains why so many students from IB or international curricula struggle in JEE/NEET, often falling behind even “average” CBSE-prepared candidates.
To be clear, IB or IGS curricula may excel in building skills like essay writing and some open-ended problem-solving, but NIFT’s GAT, CAT, and ST require a different toolkit; one that CBSE naturally fosters. With the right understanding of the exam format and consistent practice, CBSE students are well-positioned to excel in NIFT entrance exams. Please feel free to connect me if you have any questions on this.