Scored low in SRMJEEE? Here’s what you could do next

There are thousands of students who aspire to pursue Engineering from SRM institutes, but aspirations need to go hand in hand with the success of clearing the competitive exam with good marks as well. This article focuses on the situation when the final scores are quite low and below your expectation, then what are the other alternatives one can consider.

Sometimes we fall short of preparations or even luck, and as a result we end up with a low score in the competitive examinations. This is most often an outcome when we either get overconfident about our preparations or we fail to prepare sufficiently thinking what I’ve prepared is enough or even while attempting the exam we go with a mindset that I have my luck working in my favour.

There have been similar competitive exams that I have attempted and failed to secure a good score. Not every applicant cracks the examination with great scores in their first attempt and hence I will always say, do not lose hope as there’s always a second chance to make the difference. Scoring good marks requires both hard work and a bit of luck. Each one of us try to give our best and expect positive results, but certain times we miss the target and there could be several reasons behind the failure. What is truly important here is to take a step back and realise where are the spots that we missed, either in our preparations, our attitude or even the actual attempt of the examination. You will certainly find the areas which require more focus and practice. Students whom I counsel, every time my suggestion to them is to use the opportunity to work on the weak areas and turn them into a strength. This will surely build confidence and overcome the shortcomings swiftly.

Should I or should I not drop a year?

Now that’s definitely a tough call to take as you are gambling another year of your career, but we always gamble with a positive thought that this time I will succeed. Remember, success comes with hard work and a pinch of luck. If you are determined to pursue your Engineering from SRM and are confident about putting in more effort in your preparations, then dropping a year could be a wise thing to do. The first step towards this is to avoid any peer pressure, as this can weaken your motivation and deviate you from your goals.

The SRMJEEE entrance is scheduled every year and failing once does not put you out of the league. Many of us already have a hint of whether we will clear the exam or not, as we are the ones who attempt the exam. So, the best option is to start preparing for a re-attempt immediately and plan your preparations with appropriate coaching that will help you sharpen your learning.

What are my college options?

SRM happens to be one of the most renowned private institutions in southern India, while having their University campuses in northern part of the country, too. In the event of scoring low scores, still it is worth looking for institutions where you could secure an admission. SRM has multiple campuses spread across the country. In case, you are desiring to secure a seat in any of the southern campuses, but your scores don’t help you reach the edge and you are forced to opt for the northern campuses, or vice versa, still it is worth taking a decision to join the campus where a seat is being offered. Always remember, you are investing a lot of time and effort in your preparations. Being desirous is good to keep you motivated, but in case your scores are low and still you get an allotment in any of the SRM campus outside your choice, it will still be worth.

Should I or should I not wait for Counselling?

Once you start preparing, you might find things to be confusing and difficult while deciding on how to prepare, what are the opportunities, courses offered and so on. For few aspirants, the syllabus might just appear as an ocean and this can start working adversely on your confidence level. Counselling from a preparation point of view will definitely prove useful at this stage. In the event of having a low score, going for a subsequent round of counselling is also suggested with a positive hope of securing a seat depending on the overall enrolments that would happen in each SRM institution.

Should I attempt SRMJEEE again?

If you have are determined to pursue your degree from SRM and you have a strong feeling that you will clear the SRMJEEE in the next attempt, then there is no harm in opting for a next attempt. All you need is, good amount of focus, meticulous preparation and good levels of confidence at each juncture right from preparation to the final day of examination.

About the Author:

Dr Rahul M Das is a Doctorate in Organizational Behaviour from the UNOM - University of Madras with two master’s degree. He is an academician turned consultant professional, having 8 years of teaching experience and has been working for the last 2 years as a Senior Consultant with Abanel Management Consulting Pvt. Ltd in Bangalore. Dr Rahul has expertise in training and development, counselling & mentoring, developing leadership and managerial skills through experiential learning.