According to a study, 37 per cent IITians start to prepare for the JEE exam one-year before the date of the examination. lokesh Khandelwal lists some tips that will help you plan your next six months for the big test
Started lateIJ Not enough time to prepare for JEE 2015IJ Will the exam be difficultIJ Will it be relatively easy this yearIJ Or will it be a mixture of hard and easy questionsIJ 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 just preparing 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, that makes it 0.77 per cent.
With the dates already been announced, a few months and a lot of hardships is what you have in store. Even at such a dearth of time, 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 for the big test.
Start now!
This is probably the last opportunity you will get to be adequately prepared for the examination. So, stay focused, work as much as you can and start preparing right now.
Polish up 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. Once you have that in control, the rest of the syllabus can be managed easily, provided you work hard and sincerely.
Time Management
According to a study, 37 per cent IITians start to prepare 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’s 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 at this juncture because generally papers are lengthy and twisted. Accuracy is required so as to avoid negative marking and thus reducing your loss. Speed will be achieved by regular practice and accuracy comes by paying full concentration while attending classes as well as while attempting more papers. Regular study will help you anticipate questions and answers faster. It will improve your analytical skills by a significant margin.
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.
Exam trick
Never read sample test papers at leisure, always write them under the ‘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 real tough cookies.
Overcome the Fear
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 everything possibility you know. It is better to clarify early on what you do and don’t know and what you can and can’t do, rather than discovering this for the first time in the actual exam. Only by testing yourself and identifying the gaps will you 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. Don’t be disheartened at any point. It is a difficult exam but not impossible to crack. So, go ahead and earn the success you truly deserve.
The writer is co-founder and executive director, Resonance Eduventures Pvt. ltd.