It is well known to the student community in India that scoring high on the JEE exam is a daunting task. Over the years, many things have changed in terms of more institutions opting to use JEE scores for admission to their engineering courses and the change to the current format of having two exams. However, one thing that remains constant is the enormity of the task at hand in terms of cracking the exam. Just one look at the numbers confirms the scale of the JEE obstacle. In 2015, more than 13 lakh students appeared for the JEE Main exam and out of that, more than 1.5 lakh students qualified to take the JEE Advanced exam. Just a few tips will help you score more on the JEE and gain a leg up on the competition.
When it’s about study material, it’s all about quality and not quantity
The first thing to pay attention to while starting your JEE preparation is to look closely at the study material needed. It is very important to peruse a number of textbooks and reference books and choose a select few (3-4) for each subject.
Solving problems solves problems
Preparation for both the JEE Main and the JEE Advanced does demand deep knowledge of a vast array of concepts and enormous depth in many areas. Having said that, after focusing the initial months on understanding concepts, one should move quickly forward and focus on learning through solving problems and reviewing the results of how that solution approach went. JEE preparation demands problem-solving literally in the few hundreds every month.
Comfort with mind-calculations and shortcut methods
Given the number of calculations on the JEE, it is very important for aspirants to get comfortable with performing mind-calculations and with shortcuts. This will save a lot of time which would absolutely be needed on the tougher problems in the exam.
Constant focus on weak areas
With the topic coverage requirements being so extensive, it is very important to keep relentless focus on the weak areas and limit the preparation time spent on topics where there is very good comfort level and confidence.
Maintain time-tables with buffers
Just like for any other competitive examination, JEE preparation is a long grind with preparation required for about 6-8 hours a day. Time-tables help in doing the systematic preparation needed in order to cover the vast array of topics. At the same time, one should prepare time-tables in a manner that there is a lot of buffer time for extra study and problem-solving. This would help to catch up on and strengthen areas where one had not been able to gain sufficient depth during the designated period of study.
The mock-tests tell the real story
After completing the primary phase of preparation, one should turn attention to mock-tests and model-exams. Spending the final 3-4 months exclusively on weekly mock tests and model exams would be very fruitful to help to boost scores on the JEE.
Fitness fits nice
The importance of physical fitness and calm mind are often neglected by students in order to spend the maximum time on preparation. But they are a key but unappreciated and hidden need in order to achieve success in the JEE. Lack of attention to fitness proves to be counter-productive in many cases because the candidates end up peaking early and burning out at the time of the exam. It is important to spend enough time on getting normal physical activity by way of a walk, sports or a gym session. Some social activity and yoga can go a long way to feeling a constant sense of calm in the mind.
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