lokesh Khandelwal, co-founder and executive director of Resonance Eduventures Pvt ltd, shares tips to crack JEE (Advanced) exam in six months
Not enough time to prepare for JEE 2015IJ Will the exam be difficultIJ Will it be relatively easy this yearIJ Are these questions haunting you all the timeIJ Nobody can give you a sure shot answer to all these questions. But it’s high time that you start with your own search. Instead of losing your calm at this crucial time, it’s better that you put your heart and soul in preparation for the exam.
IIT-JEE is one of the most prestigious exams conducted all over India. In 2014 around 14 lakh students appeared for JEE (Main) out of which only 1.5 lakh students were selected for JEE (Advanced) and finally approximately 10,000 were given ranks. With the dates already been announced, a few months and a lot of hard work is what you have in store. But if you follow a proper study schedule, you may be able to succeed with a good rank. Below are some tips that will help you plan your next six months:
Start now
This is probably the last opportunity you will get to adequately prepare for the examination. So stay focussed, study as much as you can and start preparing right now.
Revise your basics
If you are confident of your basics, then the rest will automatically fall into place. Make sure you are confident of the basic formulas, concepts and theories in Physics, Chemistry and Maths.
Time management is the key
According to a study, 37 per cent IITians start preparing for JEE exam one year before the date of the examination. So you ought to be really serious at this moment if you really want to clear the exam. It is advised to divide your time in slots for different subjects and devote some time to physical activities to relax your mind. Make a study plan and stick to it until the last day.
Take expert guidance
It is better to follow the experts in the field and do what they say without taking any chances. So, join the right coaching institute which will guide you with their expert tips. Follow each and every piece of advice given by your faculty members.
Improve speed with accuracy
Speed with accuracy is very important because papers are lengthy and twisted. Accuracy is required to avoid negative marking. Speed will be achieved by regular practice and accuracy comes by paying full concentration while attending classes and attempting more papers.
Solve old question papers
Solving last 10 years’ question papers before the exam will help you immensely. Since these papers will include questions that have been asked in the previous IIT Exams, it will help you analyse and anticipate the questions better. The pattern followed and the level of difficulty will give you an idea of what you can expect in JEE 2015.
Prepare under time pressure
Never read sample test papers at leisure, always write them under time pressure. Don’t be surprised if you find a two-mark question taking more time (generally because there is some clever trick involved, which may not come quickly to you) than a four-mark question. There has to be a well-defined strategy of navigating through them and scoring marks. Most successful candidates solve the paper in iterations. They traverse through the same question paper at least twice or thrice during the exam, picking the easiest ones in the first iteration, then the tougher ones and finally the toughest ones.
Overcome the fear of the unknown
Find out as much information about the structure of JEE as possible. There should be no surprises in this area. You must know beforehand the number of questions, the type and style of questions, previous year’s sample questions etc. Just remember the exam may surprise you anytime with the changed pattern so prepare for every possibility. It is better to clarify early on what you know and do not know and what you can and cannot do, rather than discovering this for the first time during the exam. Only by testing yourself and identifying the gaps you will know what to work on.
On the day of examination, keep your cool and attempt the questions. Remember, at the end of the day that it is just another exam. Do not be disheartened at any point. It is a difficult exam but not impossible to crack.