1. A method comprising: activating a first group of subarrays of a ternary content addressable memory (TCAM) device during a non-search mode of the TCAM by performing a dummy search within the first group of subarrays; activating a second group of subarrays of the TCAM device during the non-search mode of the TCAM device by performing the dummy search within the second group of subarrays, wherein the activation of the first and second group of subarrays are provided in a sequential order and reduce a change in current during transition between a search mode and the non-search mode; and subsequently activating additional groups of subarrays until all the subarrays in the TCAM device are activated.