How to Prepare for IIT JEE?

Here, I’m suggesting three step process for preparing IIT JEE (for 11th student):

Step 1:

First step is concept building step. In this step you should start reading low level books. By low level books, I do not mean low quality poor books. Low level books are those books which reduce the gap between 10^th and JEE level concept. No doubt, these are 11^th, 12^th level books. These books take very less time to cover. Ideally, 2-3 months is more than enough to cover 11^th books and, 1.5 – 2 months for 12^th books. Time for 12^th level would be less as most of the new concepts which apply brake in understanding are in 11^th books. I would suggest go with NCERT books or the books suggested by your school. For those who think the ideal time to cover these books is less. I would like to point out that for IIT JEE level book you have to cover around 3-4 times more pages and 3-4 times harder problems.

You will feel very energetic while solving these problems. Not much depth of theory is needed to solve these books. Theory in the books will be sufficient to solve all the problems.

This step will make you familiar with 11^th and 12^th std. syllabus. By this step, it will be very easy to read various inter-linked chapters of JEE syllabus. As the problems asked in JEE level books generally need basic knowledge of many different concepts from different chapters. So, overall this Step will take around 4-5 months to complete, i.e., if you have started the preparation in June. Then, till Oct you should have completed this step.

Step 2:

This step is the most important step in the preparation of JEE. In this step, your IIT selection chance will be strengthen or broken. Until now if step 1 is completed ideally. Then, one must have become familiar with near about whole syllabus. Now, you will find it somewhat relatively easy to tackle JEE level concept and problems. In this step read the prescribed books by reading the concepts thoroughly and going through each and every problem. Try to build a firm base of concepts on the basis of problem solving. As much harder and distinct problems you will solve on a concept that much you will become familiar to the concept. Remember IIT asks questions to test your concept understanding. Not on how much you know about any formula. For this step I recommend these books:

• Math:
  
  • Arihant books are best and sufficient for all sections. These are up to date and very much systematically written.
    
  • TMH and Das Gupta are also option. But, those books are now sort of outdated.
    
• Physics:
  
  • H. C. Verma for theory feeds is the best and sufficient. Many people give the suggestion of Resnick Halliday. But, I have found it just a book with nice illustrations. Never found it useful. Even if it might be good. May be due to nice and eye-catching pictures I had never concentrated well on fundas.
    
  • Arihant’s problem book by D. C. Pandey and Mir Publisher’s Irodov. For Irodov people nowadays say that you don’t need such a hard book for current IIT pattern. But, I found it full of IIT sort of problems. Which is very helpful in solving every problem of IIT level and also for fine tuning the concepts?
    
• Chemistry:
  
  • Arihant’s book for Inorganic chemistry. Just mug it up. Nothing more. It has a good collection of problems too.
    
  • Organic Chemistry by Solomons & Fryle. Use its solution book side by side. This book is excellent and complete package for JEE. Language is easy. Problems are just like as asked in JEE. Overall, if solution is done side by side with the theory. Best result will surely come out.
    
  • For Physical or General chemistry I don’t know the best choice. I’ve read this section from 5-6 different sources. I had mainly this S. chand , B. H. Mahan, G.D. Mishra and Brilliants Elite course.
    
  • R.C.Mukerjee is a good book. But, try different JEE level problem book for Physical section.

This step will take more than 1 year. You should have to cover this step 2-3 months before your board exam. Solve as much problems as you can. This is the step which will decide your chances in JEE, plus AIR.

Step 3:

This step will start just after your board exams. After board exam relax for 1-2 days. Try to relax a little. Most important days are coming. Conversion time. Now you have to face the dream exam, IIT JEE.

This step is basically a revision and unison step. In this step you have to regain the touch you lost due to board exam. Also, you have to prepare your mind and body for IIT exam schedule.

Solve the collected problem set of any one publisher. Like problems in mathematics by S.K.Goyal. Else, if time is less. Collect as many question paper set of IIT as possible. And, solve one per day in the same time schedule as for JEE. After each test evaluate your score. Then, go for those problem in which you had not done well or had left or get it wrong. Also, those which you solved just by mere luck, especially in objective test. Try to solve these problems with maximum help of book, so that you could revise the entire concept. Basically by this process you may automatically spend a lot of time on weaker sections or on those section which you can improve by a bit revision. This simple step could improve one’s AIR considerably. If followed ideally then 20 to 30% improvement is sure shot.

There is one more step you can follow if you could not collect so much simulator tests. I’ll discuss about it later sometime.

Best of luck

Addendum:

In the list of the books, I would like to recommend three more books. These are Chapter-wise  Solution book of 33 years IIT JEE problems in Physics, Chemistry and Maths by Arihant Publication. These are best to solve after completing a chapter in step 2.

If you like the above article, I’m giving links for articles written on similar topic by me:

1. How Good Are The New IITs
2. Good College or Good Branch
3. When Should I Start Preparing for IIT?
4. JEE: Should I Take A Drop?
5. How to Prepare for JEE Mains After Appearing for 12th Board
6. Most Suitable Date for JEE (Main) Online Test
7. New Pattern: What is JEE?
8. IIT JEE: What should be Strategy for Partial Droppers?
9. Kota: Paradise for IIT JEE Aspirants
10. Role of Coachings in IIT JEE selection
11. Hopes Beyond IIT
12. IIT JEE: What should be the strategy for repeaters?