IIT-JEE: Use The Right Strategy At The Right Time

Needless to say that the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) is widely acclaimed across the globe as one of the most prestigious brand and apex centre for engineering education. The aim of these institutions is to conduct original research of the highest standard and to provide leadership in technological innovation for industrial growth of the country. They offered gamut of undergraduate programs under various streams for those qualified for IIT-JEE. Inspired by this every year lakhs of brilliant students appear in the IIT Joint Entrance Test but just about 8000 get selected. The competition is really tough. The Joint Entrance Test is of Objective type questions held in the month of April.

I hope your IIT-JEE preparation is at its peak and you are busy revising the course. You are all aware of the importance of sharp knowledge & analytical skill in cracking the prelims. But equally important is how mentally balanced you are during the examination.

You should not bother about the outcome of the result but you are advised to do a systematic and planned study in a well organized manner with right focus and concentration. You should work around the three pillars of success, i.e., Conceptual Clarity, Contextual Familiarity & Application Expertise.

I have seen that as the IIT-JEE dates come closer; students get increasingly worried about their outcome. Such unconstructive thoughts depress students and they end up committing mistakes under tremendous stress. It has also been observed that even after having a firm grip on the syllabus, students get defeated due to carelessness. I have identified some common concerns that students often have. Explore your weak points, religiously work upon them to overcome and hence try to minimize your rate of mistakes. You can use the following advice as guidelines for starting the final preparation for IIT JEE.

[A] 20 days before IIT-JEE

Scan all the topics in a stipulated time frame:-

• Work backwards to plan your schedule for your revision and exercise.
• Start concentrating on the topics that you have covered rather wasting time on new topics particularly when exam is just 20 days ahead. You should look at breadth rather than depth in these 20 days.
• Revise all important concepts and formulae, so that they are on your tips and come to you without any effort or thought. Even if you have studied 70 % of the IIT-JEE syllabus thoroughly, you need not harbour negative thoughts. Your success at the IIT-JEE is ensured.
• Caution - The IIT-JEE test may carry negative marking for wrong answer. So your familiarity with concepts will be crucial if you take the calculated risk of logical guessing.

[B] 7 days before IIT-JEE

Master Time Management Skills:-

• Divide the total time into components based on total number of questions and your conceptual knowledge.
• Develop the habit of gauging question whether you will be able to solve it or not. Avoid taking risk if the probability of committing mistake is high.
• Revise last year questions paper & model test papers.
• Do exercise & exercise & exercise.....(Never forget to start your exercise with watch)

[C] One day before IIT-JEE

• Quick revision of your formula and short note is advisable only. Do not start reading any new topics just before the examination.
• Organize yourself. Use this checklist: - Admit Card (Please read the overleaf instructions thoroughly), Two HB Pencils (properly sharpened on both ends), one eraser, one sharpener, wrist watch, one blue lead pen and other related stationeries.
  
• If you plan to ride your own vehicle to the center, ensure it is in proper running condition and has enough fuel in its tank.
• Take a sound sleep of at least 6-8 hours before the examination to keep you fresh while solving questions. Before going for sleep you can have fun with your family members. Never interact with your friends on the subject matters last night.

[D] The day of IIT-JEE

• Wake up early in the morning.
• Eat a light meal so that you do not feel drowsy or lethargic during the paper.
• You should reach the test center at least half an hour before the exam and if you haven't seen the center before, then you must go and visit the center on the day before the exam. If you do not have a vehicle, keep at least half an hour of time for unforeseen delays like traffic jams and rush hour traffic. This may vary depending upon the distance of the test centre from your place of stay.  Note: If your examination center is in another city-
  
  • Reach the city positively on the day before the exam.
  • Ensure the place of your stay should be calm, clean and conducive to study.
  • Don't be frightened of an unknown city.
• Never go to the center with an empty stomach. Always keep biscuits, fruits etc. handy. Some students complain of nausea or headache during the test or just before the test. So keep relevant medicine handy. If possible also carry water/ glucose water for instant energy.