JEE Main 2014: Mistakes to avoid on the exam day!

So all set for JEE? With just few days left for the IIT JEE entrance examination, most of the budding engineers must have finished their JEE preparation as well as revision. But, in spite of covering almost the entire syllabus students tend to worry about their performance. The simple reason is that it’s a competitive world. Hard work can improve your chances of success but cannot assure you success. Cracking elite entrance exams like IITJEE is no child’s play. One has to have excellent study material, proper strategy and most importantly strong determination.

Majority of JEE takers are bound to face examination fear. But winners are those who are able to face it with composure and have an undying spirit to excel. Students try to refer the best possible study material for preparation of JEE but the competition is so high that you cannot be sure of getting through. Your performance on the final day depends on your intelligence, but that’s not all. How smartly you attempt the paper also determines your success. As wrong answers fetch you negative marks in JEE, so your final score is the aggregate of what you attempted minus the negative marks. So you must avoid some of the silly mistakes which students tend to make so as to improve your scores:

• Online vs. Offline mode: Candidates now have the option of attempting JEE either in online or offline mode. But you must opt for the online mode if you are comfortable with the online exam. In case of any kind of doubt regarding the online exam or how would you maintain the speed etc. go for the offline mode.
• Speed: JEE is all about time management. In case you opt for online mode, the first thing you should do once you are allotted the seat is to check your system. Fill in the required details and check that your system does not have any technical issue. At times, the systems are too slow and they take several seconds to display the next question. In case you face such an issue, inform your invigilator immediately. Keep your watch on your desk in front of you but do not keep your eyes fixed on it. This just adds on to your anxiety and might have a negative impact on your performance.
• Read the instructions carefully: Students tend to skip the instructions given on the paper as they are anxious to go through the question paper. This must be avoided as it often leads to confusions. Especially in case of online mode, go through the instructions carefully. Candidates have the option of scrolling back the attempted questions and change their answers before the test is finally submitted.   
• Go through the question paper: Go through the entire question paper and try to mark the questions which appear to be simple. Attempt all the simple questions in the beginning. Once you are done with the uncomplicated questions, you may proceed to some tricky ones. But spend your time on demanding questions only after completing the paper i.e. solving the questions which are within reach.
• Avoid negative marks: A loss of a single mark in an elite exam like JEE could mean a fall of several ranks. Hence, try to avoid negative marks. Attempt the questions you are most confident about. The four options given as answers are quite similar to each other and hence you need to be smart enough to think fast, analyze and figure out the correct option.
• Time management: Once you go through the paper, try to chalk out your plan of attempting the questions. If possible, try to spare some time for revision. Instead of attempting to solve the questions, try to arrive at the solution by eliminating the options. This helps in saving time. You need to manage your time well in order to win this race.
• Do not panic: Even the intelligent students fail in qualifying this exam because of their anxiety. Don’t panic if the paper seems to be tough. Losing your mental balance might spoil the game. Just have faith in yourself and believe that you have prepared well and will give it your best shot!

In case you find the paper tough, remember that it is tough for everybody and you are not the only one who’ll suffer. After all it is the relative performance that counts. So don’t fret and try to apply your analytical skills.

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(Content Courtesy: askIITians.com)