Prepare For JEE Main 2017 With Tips From Last Year's Topper

Deepanshu Jindal, JEE Main 2016 Topper

The exam dates for JEE Main 2017 offline exam was announced recently. However, the complete details are yet to be declared by the conducting authority, CBSE(Central Board of Secondary Education). With approximately 5 months left for the exam to be conducted, we are pretty certain that the preparations for this important B.Tech exam would be in full swing.

It is important for students to understand that clearing the exam takes involves a great deal of effort blended with some serious preparation, consistency, hard-work and time. But having said that, cracking this nut is no rocket science.

To help you gear up for JEE Main 2017, here are some tips from the JEE Main 2016 Topper(AIR 1), Deepanshu Jindal, who is currently pursuing Computer Science from IIT Delhi. Read the full interview below.

Q. According to you, what is the minimum time frame needed to prepare well for JEE Main? How long did you prepare for it? What was your preparation strategy?

A. The minimum time frame of JEE preparation may vary from person to person but two years is sufficient and appropriate time as even the JEE syllabus consists of class 11 and class 12.

I started preparing for JEE in class 11.

My strategy was simple to begin with- focus primarily on building concepts and acquiring whatever knowledge I could about the topics and then build up on that knowledge by practicing questions on it. JEE mainly focuses on application of concepts to problems, so practicing questions is the key.

I always considered science as fun so studying it was never a work. Also striking a balance between JEE prep and school is important for ensuring success in both.

Q. Is it necessary to join a coaching institute or is self-study good enough? What study plan did you follow for your prep?

A. Well importance of coaching is a personal point of view which varies from person to person depending on one’s needs. Definitely it brings in discipline and regularity in studies but again it’s not necessary for everyone. The only thing required is a self-motivation to achieve the goal.

Coaching helps bring in discipline and punctuality in the study hours for the students. The regular tests also help in accessing the performance and building competitive spirit.

However it would be wrong to say that it is absolutely necessary for everyone as each student has his own requirements. Coaching provides a path however the student has to walk on it himself. So dedication towards the aim is necessary, need of coaching depends on individual.

Q. How did you divide your time between chapters/section? Which chapters/sections did you spend more time on? Q. How did you work on improving your weak areas?

A. I never had a very fixed schedule regarding how much time to devote to each chapter. I preferred going with the flow and gave time to each chapter as was felt required during preparation. Certainly, there were a few chapters on which I spent more time than others like coordinate geometry in mathematics, rotation and modern physics in physics. However it all depends on individual: which chapters he/she feels difficulty in, and also the chapters which are appearing frequently in JEE.

Q. How much time did you spend on revision?

As the syllabus was coming to end and I was starting my revision, I knew that which areas I was weak in or which areas I hadn't practiced sufficiently, I ensured that I worked harder on those areas and eventually there were no weak areas as such. It was just that some topics were uncomfortable but everything could be done.

It took me around 3-4 months to revise the syllabus and one more month for a quick go through of entire syllabus.

Q. Any useful study material/ reference books you can recommend to JEE MAIN aspirants?

A. There is no book which can guarantee one a good rank in JEE. But yes most books have potential to make one good in the respective subjects. Pick up any book and do it thoroughly rather than doing multiple books all at once and not being able to complete any of them.

I would recommend doing NCERT exemplar problems for all subjects.

My personal choices were :

• Physics- Concepts of physics by HC Verma
• Mathematics- A Das Gupta
• Chemistry- JD Lee and one or two books for practice on physical and organic chemistry

But again I would emphasise one to select books which one likes and which can be discussed by their coaching or school teachers.

Q. Can you share 5 top tips for JEE Main and JEE Advanced 2017?

• Never be rigid with the schedules - Go with the flow.
• Always Introspect and prioritise – as one always knows what is best for him/her
• Time management is the key during both preparation and exam itself.
• Never worry about marks if you are satisfied that you know the topic well
• Never follow everyone’s advice blindly-practice your own discretion

Start preparing for JEE Main 2017 with this month wise study plan