HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank announced on May 5 that this year’s JEE (Main) exam will be held from July 18-23 while NEET will be on July 26. In March GoI had postponed the JEE and NEET entrance exams to last week of May owing to the nationwide lockdown. Amidst the global pandemic, the candidates for these two critical exams continued self-preparation. It actually gave them the opportunity to make the most of this extra time to revise and practice the syllabi and solve the previous year question papers for some more time.
JEE Mains and NEET are the top exams for securing admission in India’s top engineering and medical colleges. JEE Mains is also the first step to select candidates for JEE Advanced. Last year, 12,37,892 candidates registered and 11,47,125 appeared for JEE Main Exam, while only about 2.5 lakh qualified for JEE Advanced Exam. This gives an idea about the competitiveness of the exam. This year nearly about 25 lakh candidates will take JEE Mains and NEET exams.
Though it is a fact that the exam’s scores primarily depend on the past two years’ preparation, but the final days are also pretty vital. The remaining days are actually a decisive time for students taking the exams and are aiming to gain a maximum score.
Some important last-minute JEE & NEET preparation tips for our readers
No New Topic
Starting new topics will only increase the stress levels and hamper your preparation. Solve previous years’ question papers and attempt mock tests as much as possible.
Multiple mock tests
Mock tests will help you understand if you can retain all that you have prepared and memorized all these months. Taking mock tests is a critical cog of last-minute preparations for both JEE Mains and NEET. Mock test will also help you get your time management aspect right. Solve at least one paper a day, within the stipulated time. Mock tests also serve as a form of revision; hence if you find your preparation week in certain topics while taking the tests, you can go back to them.
Revise only the important topics
Last-minute revision is important, but trying to revise the whole thing is not the right thing to do. Focus only on topics that have high weightage and are scoring. Revise the formulas and basic concepts of such topics. Keep revising formulas and theorems. You can make a formula chart for Physics and Chemistry, as it will help in quick and repeated revision. Another smart thing to do is to have an idea of the order in which you will answer the question paper.
Usually, 80 to 85 percent of the questions in NEET are directly from NCERT. However, the rest 15 to 20 percent are based on NCERT topics which need in-depth concept. In the remaining days, candidates should primarily concentrate on NCERT and not think of studying any new or additional area of study. The key is to revise and retain the knowledge you have so industriously acquired.
Analyze your mock tests
This exercise will provide a clear picture on your mistakes, weak points and conception. Identify the topics in which you made repeated mistakes and try to avoid them in the exam.
Don’t keep long hours
Most students study for long hours during their plus two years; this pattern must be changed in the last leg of preparation. Avoid studying for long as that can be detrimental and hamper your long period of assiduous preparation. Do sleep early and have a good night’s sleep (6-7 hours).
Do take breaks
A 6-8 minutes break in every one hour will keep your mind fresh, rejuvenated and active for a long duration which will help you focus on your studies. Try eating light and easily digestible food during this period. Find time to read the newspaper and watch some fun things.
Experts’ Tips on JEE and NEET 2020 Preparation
Randhir Kumar, Founder and Chief Mentor, BasicFirst Learning OPC Pvt. Ltd.
With two of the most prominent exams scheduled within weeks, aspirants are bound to experience cold feet. However, in such stressful times, it’s important to keep calm and be focused. Start off with making a schedule: distribute subjects according to your expertise. Give more time to topics that you’re not confident about and practice them as much. Take as many mock tests to assess your understanding of the topic. If you have any doubts, make use of what e-learning platforms have to offer.
Next, define the topics you’re good at and bolster your command with daily practice. Practice as much as you can to improve your speed. For JEE Mains and NEET, you must increase your speed to be able to attempt all questions. Bear in mind that speed shouldn’t come at the hands of inaccuracy. Once, you’ve covered the majority of your syllabus, focus on revising key topics, formulae, diagrams, and graphs. Keep a separate notebook for all formulae, it will come handy on the day of the exam for a quick sift through. Early birds catch the worm; utilize early mornings to revise all the important topics. Waking up early will reinforce mental retention of subjects. Ensure you get ample sleep time between preparations.
Prepare your exam bag and stationary beforehand. Keep backups of pens and go through the admit-card to check for restricted items. On the day of the exam, ensure you have all necessary items. Keep a bottle of water with you and stay hydrated. Don’t engage in unnecessary banter with other aspirants. Stick to your agenda and stay confident. May your hard-work pay off. All the best!
Pramod Maheshwari, Managing Director & CEO, Career Point Limited
Owing to the outbreak of the virus several examinations were postponed and with the latest update on the JEE Mains exam to be scheduled between July 19 and July 23 and NEET entrance on July 26, 2020, the JEE and NEET aspirants are not as stressed and are looking for solutions to overcome the same.
Socialize with friends
If you are feeling stressed about your exams, the chances are that your friends appearing for exams feel the same. Take some time to socialise, and talk to friends about your worries. Sometimes it is easier to relax once you have expressed what troubles you. This phase should be effectively used for quick run through short notes and concepts. The idea is to strengthen the concepts and their application by exchange of words with like-minded friends. Do not sit for long hours at a stretch, but instead take small and frequent breaks. These intervals are essential for the brain to assimilate, retrieve information and revive the energy. There may be many distractions and thoughts running concurrently. Maintain calm and stay focused with determination. Students should enjoy the exam and its preparation positively.
Indulge in Yoga
Whether it’s a home workout, yoga, meditation or even taking a walk around the house, it is important that you find the time to fit some exercise into your day. When it is time to revise, you might think that exercising is a waste of valuable time, but being active will make you feel a whole lot better. Physical activity is known to reduce overall stress levels, and can relieve tension and anxiety. Even if you decide to dedicate just an hour out of your day to exercise it can help you to de-stress, improving your concentration once you get back to revising.
Follow revision schedule
Before you get started on your revision, you need to consider what your targets should be for each day. It is really important to make these targets realistic. This way, you will be able to get a strong hold on topics and subjects which stay in your memory for a longer period. Each subject should get the attention it needs without overwhelming yourself with too much information at any one time. This should help keep your stress levels low. Attempt few online mock test as this will help students gain experience of attempting online paper on a real-time basis.
Consult helpline
None of us has ever faced a situation like the one we are going through now. The emotional toll can be an unnerving experience for many. If the stress is making you feel pessimistic about the performance you are able to give in exams, try to seek the expert advice of Counsellors or dial helpline number of institutes to deal with related anxieties. It will give you the confidence boost you need.
Times are tough and it should now be the priority of everyone to be safe and healthy. That said, JEE Mains and NEET being extremely critical exams which can change your lives, it is also important to keep no stone unturned in your preparation for them. We at Stoodnt hope these last-minute preparation tips will give you that much-needed grain of wisdom to plan for one of the most crucial tests of your life.
All the best!!!