How to Prepare for JEE Mains After Appearing for 12th Board

The restructuring of AIEEE and IIT JEE in 2013 is creating a lot of confusion among the minds of aspirants. It is very important to clear all the confusion. Read my article What is JEE 2013 to clear all your doubts.

Prepare for JEE 2013: Introduction

You should know that to prepare for JEE 2013, the time after 12th board is very precious. It should be utilized in the optimal way to get the best result. The time period is very short and its optimal utilization will guarantee the best rank that you are capable to achieve by giving your best shot. And, you have to give your best shot.

This time period of almost 70 days is going to decide your career’s fate. You will be among elite group of the society or average. All will depend on your performance in these 70 days. Hence, it is very important to take a systematic approach to maximize the chance of giving your best performance.

Prepare for JEE 2013: For Whom

I’m writing this article for those aspirants of JEE 2013 who are appearing for 12^th board and afterwards planning to appear for both JEE (Main) and JEE (Advanced). This article will not address preparation for paper 2 of JEE (Main) or aptitude test of JEE (Advanced). It will be published in two parts; first part will be about preparation for JEE (Main). Second part will address JEE (Advanced) preparation. Keep almost 15-20 different sets of simulator tests for both JEE (Main) and JEE (Advanced). However, before going in detail please go through my article, Most Suitable date for JEE (Main) Online Test.

Prepare for JEE 2013: First Learn Concepts

Some years ago, I had written an article, How to prepare for IIT JEE. The article described three step for IIT JEE preparation. Even though a lot has changed since then in the format of JEE, still first two step are well enough for JEE (Advanced) preparation. I would suggest you go through the article.

I have always told the aspirants of JEE that you don’t need to prepare for the type of the questions asked. You just need to get yourself to the level of knowledge required for IIT JEE. Preparation for a particular type of question  could be done within 20 days.

IIT JEE always keeps changing. Since 2000 I am following it. Every next year there were few changes with respect to previous years. Level of question changed, pattern changed, type of questions changed. This year even the name changed to JEE (Advanced). But, style never changed. IIT always asks tricky questions. An IIT JEE aspirant of year 2000, can appear for the paper of year 2012 and get the same rank, just by preparing for not more than 10 + 20 days (10 days for going through major addition in the syllabus in 2003).

My point in all this is to get the knowledge of every portion of the syllabus before board exam. After board, just prepare for the question type asked in JEE both Main & Advanced. Any question whether, it is asked as subjective or objective is solved in the same way, just presentation of the answer differs. Hence, know how to solve any problem. Adapting according to the requirement of the presentation is not a hard task.

Prepare for JEE 2013: 12th Board is Over

Now, lets proceed to know how to be ready for JEE (Main) once 12th board exam is over. For JEE (Main) or AIEEE, I always feel it is an examination to test your speed rather than intelligence. There would be hardly any tricky questions that would be asked in its exam,. All would be formula based (or memory based). However, JEE (Advanced) or IIT JEE tests your intelligence rather than speed. Moreover, syllabus of JEE (Main) is almost same as that of 12th board. Hence, if someone has prepared well enough for 12^th board, he/she could perform well in JEE (Main) after a preparation of 15-20 days.

As I have already told you through my article Most Suitable date for JEE (Main) Online Test, I feel JEE (Main) should be taken online rather than paper based and you should choose the most suitable slot to maximize your performance for both JEE (Main) and JEE (Advanced).

Now, once your board exam is over, take a break of one day and do full-day-night fun. This will totally refresh your mind from the stress of 12th board exam. As per CBSE board, I think the last exam for science stream students would be on 23rd March. It is advised to keep a gap of 15 days between the last day of 12th board exam and JEE (Main) test date. I suggested 10th April, 2013 as the most suitable date to appear for JEE (Main). Hence, those who are going to appear for CBSE board would be getting around 15-16 days for preparation of JEE (Main). After refreshing your mind, we are going to use the simulator tests that I have asked you to collect. It would be better if at least 7-10 simulator tests are computer based.

Step 1 (4-5 day):

Now, initially you need to use the paper based tests. For the first 5 days, start solving the simulator test by using all books, notes and all other means available. But, don’t go through the solution before attempting and possibly solving all the problems. Once you attempted all the questions. Check your answers and if any answer went wrong even after using all possible means. Try to understand where was the problem. Time should not be a factor. However, complete one test in one day.

This process will not be an easy one. On the first 2-3 days, it will take away all the energy. But, if done with concentration and dedication. It will work like anything. If one would go through the questions asked by the AIEEE, one can understand that the questions asked by AIEEE are formula based and could be solved easily if formula is known. This step would help you to know and memorize the formula based on the questions which are being asked by AIEEE. Further, it will revise you the syllabus in accordance with JEE (Main) syllabus. You would know the method for approaching a particular type of problems asked. It would be best if you use past years question paper for this step as simulator test. This will benefit you in the best way, as you will learn, what is asked and exactly how to solve them.

Step 2 (6-7 days):

Once you completed step 1, you would be well versed with the question types asked in AIEEE and how to solve them. I expect it would be almost 10 days left for the JEE (Main).

In this step and next, you have to learn how to attempt the questions in a time bound manner. How to manage and approach the test to score maximum? Both speed and accuracy is important. For the next 9 days sit for the test in the same time schedule in which your JEE (Main) test is. It will help your body to get used to the schedule, so that you won’t fill any physical stress on the final day. It would be best if you attempt the tests on table and chair. I recommend to use the computer based test for both this and the final step. If you don’t have so much computer based tests. Last step should be totally using computer based tests. Rests should be used for this step, along with paper based tests.

For the first 6-7 days, solve the question in the stipulated time schedule. Once the test is over, calculate your marks. Now, take a break of around 1 hour. Afterwards, first try to solve incorrect answers and try to figure out, where you made the mistakes. Next, try to solve the unattempted questions. If you gave the test in first half, then try to solve the unattempted and incorrect ones by the end of the day. If you solve it in second half, try to do so by the next day first half. If you need to refer some books or notes, do so. This whole process will improve your latency and no. of questions attempted.

Step 3 (3 days):

Till now, you would be totally stressed with the heavy workout, I suggested in the first two steps. Now, for the last 3 days, you need to give relaxation to your mind. Out of these 3 days, for the first 2 days, solve the test in the normal schedule as per your JEE (Main) timing. Check your score. But, no need to do the whole other workouts. Its time to relax. Watch TV. Play some games. If you want, for an hour or so, revise the formulas and other things which needs to memorized. But, take no stress. All of us commit errors while solving. However, it is minimized if the stress on the mind is less. The success rate of your attempted questions, makes a huge difference in the score.

I prefer the last day before the exam to be free from any study. Don’t worry. If you don’t solve the test for one day, it will not deteriorate your score. But, it will give your mind some peace. You may spend some time to memorize the formulas. Don’t spend time just watching movies or TVs or just playing games. As doing one thing for long hours will give stress to your mind. Go meet your friends. Spend some time with them. Eat healthy food and sleep at usual time.

On the final day. I expect you will be fully ready to appear for JEE (Main) and give your best shot.

If you have any doubts or queries regrading how to prepare for JEE 2013, feel free to ask. The second part of this article will be published in near future. Keep visiting.

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. Most Suitable Date for JEE (Main) Online Test
6. New Pattern: What is JEE?
7. IIT JEE: What should be Strategy for Partial Droppers?
8. How to Prepare for IIT JEE?
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?