Read the article below to check important tips for effective preparation of Algebra from JEE Advanced point of view.
Algebra is one of the most important topics of Mathematics in JEE. In fact, in the preparation of JEE, this is the starting point. Algebra like most of the other topics in Math doesn’t involve as much theory as application. There are very few formulae and definitions that you need to know, and won’t take much time in knowing either. But after that, your prowess on the topic depends on how much you practice it. By doing this, you will develop fluency in the topic and will get to know all the tricks and loopholes thoroughly.
Let us first note what all algebra covers:
Complex Number, Quadratic Equations, Series and Progressions (Includes Arithmetic, Geometric, Harmonic and Miscellaneous Series), Logarithms, Permutations and Combinations, Binomial Theorem, Matrices and Determinants, Probability.
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From the above topics, Quadratic Equations, Matrices, and Determinants, Probability have heavy weightage. So, you should definitely focus on these chapters as they will be very helpful in getting you more marks. The rest of the chapters are relatively easy and you won’t face many problems in understanding.
JEE Advanced rank lists are prepared based on the aggregate marks in JEE Advanced. Only candidates who appear for BOTH Paper 1 and Paper 2 will be considered for ranking. There will be no waiting list for ranking. The ranklist is used in JoSAA for allocation of seats in the IITs. JoSAA is held online only. All the candidates who are eligible for admission will have to participate in the joint seat allocation process by filling in their preferential choices of the courses and institutes. If the aggregate marks scored by two or more candidates are the same, then the following tie-break policy will be used for awarding ranks: Candidates having higher positive marks will be awarded a higher rank. If a tie exists then a higher rank will be assigned to the candidate who has obtained higher marks in Mathematics. If this does not break the tie, a higher rank will be assigned to the candidate who has obtained higher marks in Physics. If there is a tie even after this, candidates will be assigned the same rank.
It is a very relatable thing. A good score in JEE Advanced will depend on various factors one of them being the cutoff. Further, the cutoff will depend on various factors like the difficulty level, paper pattern, number of seats in the IITs, number of candidtaes taking the exam and so on. Therefore, it is difficult to say what will be a safe score. However, 300+ is a safe score in JEE Advanced if the total marks in the paper are 360.
In 2024, the cutoff has been the highest in recent years. In 2024, the cutoff marks were 109 marks for the Common rank list (CRL) out of 360 marks. For the GEN-EWS and OBC-NCL rank list, the cutoff marks are 98; for SC/ST/Common-PwD/GEN-EWS-PwD/OBC-NCL-PwD/SC-PwD/ST-PwD, is 54 marks and for Preparatory course rank lists, it is 27 marks.
Algebra is the most diverse topic. You have to learn each topic very efficiently and practice a lot of problems in order to perform well in Algebra.
Now, coming to the chapter-wise analysis:
Quadratic Equations
Quadratic equations fetch direct questions too and are also easy to grasp. Make sure you know all the concepts. This would be easy if you practice past years’ problems well. Beware of getting negative square roots. Learn the properties of inequality well. This can be tricky when multiple-choice questions are asked. So, practice few questions and be careful during exams. Make sure you understand how to make graphs of quadratic equations as it will be very helpful to determine signs of the roots.
Series and Progressions
Series and Progressions is another section that is mixed with other concepts and then asked in the examination. This is one of the easiest topics to understand but questions can be a bit tricky. You should understand the series properties carefully. Make sure you practice a variety of problems. Learn how to solve an series problems. If you are stuck on a question, try to think out of the box and apply various methods. Remember the standard GP, HP formulas as students tend to forget them quickly.
JoSAA (Joint Seat Allocation Authority) has been set up by the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) to manage and regulate joint seat allocation for admissions to over 100 institutes including IITs, NITs, IIITs, and Other-Government Funded Technical Institutes (Other-GFTIs). Admissions to all these institutes will be done through a single platform. The idea behind introducing a single counselling platform was to reduce thousands of seats going vacant in engineering colleges across the country. The Joint seat allocation process was introduced to make the whole process of admissions smoother, effective, efficient, transparent and a lot faster. Candidates who qualify for the JEE Main or JEE Advanced must register for JoSAA 2025 to participate in the counselling and admission process for various renowned engineering institutes across India. The admission process for admissions in 23 IITs, 31 NITs, 25 IIITs, and 28 Other-Government Funded Technical Institutes (Other-GFTIs) is managed by The Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA). Candidates will be allotted seats in various rounds of JoSAA counselling. The seat allotment through JoSAA will be based on the merit of candidates and their preference for courses and colleges.
Determination and dedication are the two main Ds which one should have in plenty. It's the mind which helps you achieve whatever your dreams or goals are and at the same time acting on it. To preparae for JEE Advanced in one year, candidates must consider the following:
- Make formulae sheets along with your preparation, you can also use 100 marks mind maps.
- Keep marking tricky questions to look upon at the time of revision.
- Always solve questions in time constraints.
- It is not at all necessary to attempt questions in a specific order, start with the easiest.
- You only have 1 year, focus on problem-solving tactics rather than analysis of questions.
- If a reverse approach is easy then use it rather than following full solution procedure.
- Go with few books, clear your basics and keep yourself attached to the school curriculum.
- Study all three subjects daily, you may decide timings according to your convenience and do it consistently and eventually, you will surely secure a good rank. 9. Have faith in yourself.
- There will be times when you would find it difficult to understand and manage things. Do not give up. That is the point where many aspirants give up and finally fail. Keep giving your best, even if you feel like you aren't getting any output. Remember, hard work pays forever.
Here are the top 7 strategies that any student may follow to clear the JEE Advanced exam with ease:
- Solve As Many Numerical Problems as Possible: JEE Advanced exam focuses on testing the candidates' comprehension, reasoning and analytical ability. The questions asked in the three subjects of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics are of an advanced level and focus on the application of the concepts rather than the concepts themselves.
- Keep Track of Strengths and Weaknesses: For scoring perfect marks, candidates must be prepared perfectly as well. This means keeping an eye on their strengths and weaknesses and trying to avoid making the same mistake twice. Errors occur when one is unsure of himself/herself, and uncertainty is the last thing any candidate would want while attempting questions in the exam.
- Set Daily Targets: Setting daily targets serves two purposes. One, the entire syllabus is divided into short-term goals that need to be achieved daily, and two, the focus of the students remains unwavering until the long-term goal is achieved.
- Develop a Subject-wise Study Plan: Different students have varied levels of command over different subjects. Someone may be good at Physics and Mathematics and need more effort in Chemistry, or the other way round.
- Keep a Positive Outlook: JEE Advanced is not the end of the world, but that does not mean it should be taken lightly. Moreover, if a candidate appears for JEE Advanced, then it is natural that they have qualified the JEE Main exam after beating lakhs of competitors. This means that a positive mindset can help achieve the steepest of goals under any circumstance. Hence, students should always keep a positive outlook for the best results.
- Refer to the Previous Years' Question Papers: Practice the last 10 years JEE Advanced question papers to understand the latest pattern, any changes and types of questions asked. Previous year papers will also give an understanding of the topic-wise weightage in the exam.
- Attempt Mock Tests.
Logarithms
This chapter is the simplest one but the base change formula is important. Direct questions are asked rarely but they can test you in say a different way but integrating this chapter with other chapters of algebra. Don’t get afraid by seeing large terms, they are actually the easiest ones.
Permutations and Combinations / Probability
Permutations and Combinations along with Probability is the most important section in Algebra. JEE Advanced exam fetches a lot of questions on them. These chapters are rank deciders for those who aim for a very good rank in JEE Advanced.
A permutation is an ordered arrangement of the numbers, terms, etc., of a set of specified groups. A combination is also a way of selecting certain things out of a larger group. But here order does not matter, unlike permutation.
This is one of the most difficult chapters for JEE. Make sure you practice a lot of problems and learn the standard tricks.
For probability, I would recommend first solve problems from NCERT and then move to JEE problems. Generally, questions from probability are not that tough if you know which formula will be applied where. Practice questions on every theorem till you get comfortable. This chapter needs a lot of practice to be confident while giving JEE paper.
Binomial Theorem
Binomial Theorem is also a mark fetching topic as the questions on this topic are quite easy. The binomial theorem is used for expanding binomial expressions (a+b) raised to any given power without direct multiplication. Make sure you practice enough problems for having good speed and accuracy during exams.
Matrices and Determinants
Matrices and Determinants mostly give direct questions and you can solve them easily. Questions from determinants are quite simple and can be solved using their properties. Remember the properties. Be fast in expanding it (this will be achieved by practising), it will save your time during exams. However, if you are stuck somewhere, try its expansion. Sometimes, scary questions are the easiest ones. Few questions from matrices are a bit tricky. Learn the properties of matrices, their multiplication, and inverse properties well and solve a lot of questions from this to be comfortable.
Complex Number
Complex Numbers are also important as this fetches questions in JEE almost every year. As the name suggests, this chapter is a bit complex. Try to study this chapter after co-ordinate geometry and you will find it easy to visualize what is happening (real and imaginary number concepts). This chapter contains a large number of concepts. Solve a lot of problems just after learning any concept. Learn to apply the triangular inequality property well. Also, visualize any complex number by making quadrants. This will be helpful for knowing the tangent of the angle.
Algebra requires you to practice a lot of problems and if you are quick, then you will be benefited from exams. Remember the standard formulas and practice a lot. Since there is a very limited number of formulas in algebra, make a note of all the important ones in one place. Not the basic ones which you will remember obviously, but the ones which you always seem to forget uncannily. There are always a few. Keep updating your list and constantly revising. Algebra will have questions more often than not which involve several topics so fluency in all and application is crucial. All the best.
About the Author:
Aman Goel is a co-founder at a Tech Start-up. He holds a BTech in Computer Science Engineering from IIT Bombay with a JEE Advanced AIR 33 (Year 2013).
During his free time, he enjoys writing articles/blogs. He is an Entrepreneur, Coder, Speed-cuber, gamer, and fan of Air crash investigation!
Read more:
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- Best books for JEE Advanced Mathematics: A comparison
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- How To Handle Tough Topics in JEE Physics
- How To Handle Tough Topics in JEE Mathematics
- How To Handle Tough Topics in JEE Chemistry
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Student Forum
Answered a month ago
To be eligible for JEE Advanced JoSAA counselling:
- Candidates should have JEE Advanced rank
- Candidates must have passed class 12 or equivalent exam
- Candidates should have studied Physics, Chemistry and Maths in class 12
- In class 12, canmdidates must have score 75% aggregate marks or must be in top 20 p
Y
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
No, your candidature will be rejected as you need to have minimum of 75% in class 12 to be eligible for admisison to the IITs, NIT, IIITs and GFTIs via the JoSAA counselling. Even if you pass JEE Advanced and JEE Main, of you do not have 75% minimum marks in class 12 boards you will no get admission
V
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
Devdutta Majhi was the female topper in JEE Advanced 2025. She has scored 312 marks out of 360 marks and got anm all India rank of 16.
A
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
In 2025, the number of male candidates who passed JEE Advanced were 44,974 and 9,404 females qualified.
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
1,87,223 candidates registered for JEE Advanced 2025 and 1,80,422 appeared in the exam. Of them, 54,378 passed the JEE Advanced exam in 2025.
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
No. The JEE Advanced counselling is held online only on the official website of JoSAA - josaa.nic.in. The counselling process includes:
- Registration
- Choice filling
- Mock seat allotment
- Seat allotment
- Online reporting (seat confirmation, payment of fee, freeze/slide/float)
- Document verification
A
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
The official website for JEE Advanced counselling is josaa.nic.in. All details related to the JEE Advanced counselling is posted on the official website. Candidates have to register online for the counselling process at josaa.nic.in.
M
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
The JEE Advanced counselling is held online on the official website - josaa.nic.in. The JEE Advanced counselling for IIT admission is called the JoSAA counselling. Only candidates with JEE Advanced rank are allowed to register for the counselling process.
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
As per the analysis of the previous year data, the candidates belonging to general category must aim to score around 180 marks out of 360 to qualify the exam. 180+ marks will be a safe zone and will ensure that you pass the exam for IIT admissions. However, note that this marks will not get you a go
A
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
To get a JEE Advanced AIR below 5000, candidates must score around 145 marks out of 360 as per the 2025 data.
V
Contributor-Level 6