Preparing for JEE: Things to keep in mind

JEE is one of the most prestigious and difficult exams in the world. Out of the eligible around 2 lakhs students who appear in JEE Advanced exam, only less than 2% get into IITs and other prestigious institutions.

In the year 2023, the JEE Main exam will be conducted in two sessions. The first session is expected to be held in January 2023 and the second in April 2023.

Quality study material, dedication, and passion are very important, but there are specific tips students should keep in mind while preparing and sitting in the examination hall. How to stay focused and always motivated? Here’s what you can do.

Know the syllabus: Without having a proper idea about the syllabus and the test pattern, you cannot crack the exam. So first and foremost, you must have a thorough understanding of the syllabus and the pattern of the exam before starting your focused preparation. Since the right preparation will boost your confidence and the progress achieved will give you confidence and motivation to continue.

Stop comparison: It is extremely important to believe in yourself and whenever you feel stuck or demotivated, remember that you are not alone. Lakhs of students out there may be feeling just the way you do. Follow the advice and directions given in the coaching institute. Do not compare with others.

Avoid distractions: IIT JEE preparation calls for intense focus and dedication. So, you need to stay clear of all the things that can possibly distract you e.g., mobile phones, social media, noisy environments, music, etc. Imagine yourself getting into your desired IIT to shoo away your distraction. Your goal is your motivation.

Solve question papers: This will give you a feel of the real exam and so you will get to know your shortcomings and the areas that you need to polish. This will increase your confidence.

Be interested in subjects: Whenever you feel like something is too theoretical to be interesting, do some practical work, and look out for its application part because seeing science in everyday things generates interest in the topics.

Learn from others' mistakes: Follow the previous All India Rankers, listen to them, try out the tips they share, and learn from their mistakes. This will save you a lot of time you would have otherwise lost in doing things differently, doing extra or unnecessary things.

Finding balance: Students preparing for IIT JEE should maintain a healthy balance by taking short breaks in-between intense study sessions. Health, friendship, family, creative healthy recreation, etc., should go hand in hand and shouldn’t be neglected or you will feel frustrated and exhausted.

Studying in productive hours: It’s not important to study 24x7, nor is it to study all in one go. But during the times when your productivity is at its peak, try and study as much as you can without feeling stressed. Test yourself with problems of increasing difficulty till you have mastered the concept.

Take short breaks: When you are studying for long hours, break them into intervals. Use the Pomodoro Technique i.e. take a 5 to 10-minute break post every 30 minutes to 1 hour of serious study. And in those breaks do something that really makes you feel good.

Reward yourself: When you reward yourself for your achievements (even the very small ones), it motivates you to do more. Say, you want to play a game, so you must first study for x amount of time and only after that allow yourself to play the game. This way you can yield better results.

Don’t think about the result: Hard work never goes in vain. It does pay off in ways more than one. Even if you don’t get into IITs, you will get into some other famous institute.

To say in a nutshell, maintain the balance of everything; do whatever you do with utmost dedication and sincerity.

(The author is the director of an online coaching firm)