NEET 2020: How to utilise this lockdown period for preparation?

By Abhyuday Joshi

We all know that the entire world is going through a crisis due to which every activity has come to a stop and so has NEET 2020. We don’t know how long it will take for the situation to normalise but what we do know is how to utilise this extra time to burnish our preparations even more.

When I was preparing for NEET, I used to make a small notebook (Auxiliary copy) to write all the formula, equation and chemical reactions which I found important and was unable to memorise throughout the week. So, by the time, NEET was just a week away, instead of going through books and modules, I went through all my notebooks which I had prepared. Trust me, it helped me learn formula faster, understand equations better and boosted my confidence.

About NEET 2020

NEET 2020 is a mandatory entrance exam for students who want to pursue a career in medical sciences. Acing NEET 2020 requires a rigorous practice of all four subjects, physics, chemistry, botany, and zoology. Many students start preparing for it in Class 11 itself, through coaching institutes, online learning or even self-learning.

NEET 2020 is a pen paper-based Examination which comprises 180 questions which are required to be solved in 3 hours of duration. All the subjects have equal weightage with 4 marks awarded for a correct answer and one mark will be deducted for every incorrect answer.

Preparation Tips for NEET 2020 Amid Lockdown

No matter how much you have prepared for the NEET throughout the year, only if you are able to remember all the things by heart then only you have an edge over other candidates in scoring good rank. Although it seems a pretty daunting task at first, you could easily accomplish it with the correct guidance. Since NEET 2020 has been postponed so here are some of the tips which I suggest that will help you in your preparation by ticking all the right boxes.

3. Do smart study: While designing your study plan it is extremely important to keep in mind that you have a scanty amount of time in your hands, so you need to keep your goals realistic. You can’t study all the chapters in depth. According to the NEET exam pattern, Biology is the most important subject; therefore, divide your time and effort according to it.
4. Solve previous-years’ question papers, sample papers and test series: Solving previous year papers, helps you to understand the trend and improving your hold on the subject. Along with it, you should practice at least two timed sample papers daily. You can also join various test series like the Akash test series. After each test, refer to the solution key and analyse what you have done wrong.
5. Preparation for Biology: As biology holds the highest weightage, be sure to prepare for it well. Thoroughly revise the NCERT book as almost 70% of the questions in biology section are directly from the NCERT book. Biology is all about concepts mostly theoretical, so make sure to make notes of all important topics, so that it is easier to revise the topics. Flashcards are also an effective way to memorise the facts. Topics of Genetics & Evolution, Animal & Plant Physiology, Ecology, Cell Biology, and Biotechnology are the most important topics and must be covered under the study plan.
6. Preparation for Chemistry: Generally, chemistry is the most scoring subject out of all three. Make sure to practice numerical of important topics like Mole concept, Redox, Chemical Kinetics, Equilibrium, Electrochemistry, Solid State and Atomic Structure from NCERT book.

Make a condensed formula sheet for Physical Chemistry topics like P Block elements, Qualitative Analysis and Metallurgy are important. NCERT books are the best to prepare for these topics. For organic chemistry, make sure to keep a hand note of all the important chemical reactions. Make sure to practice general organic chemistry, Grignard’s reagents, Hydrocarbons, Carbonyl compounds and Bio molecules.

5. Preparation for Physics: For physics, it’s very important to grasp the concept and subsequently apply it to the questions. Thus, the more you practice the better. For practicing, start from NCERT but make sure to solve as much as problems possible from H.C Verma and DC Pandey. Mechanics, Electrostatics and Optics and Modern Physics are the most important chapters, so be sure to prepare it thoroughly.

Apart from this, you can also apply for an online crash course from any of the coaching institutes in order to boost up your preparation. Since all of you will be at home due to the current situation therefore this lockdown period will help you in focusing on your opted course and will help you in revising all the important topics in detail. If you have missed any of the topics earlier then this is the time for you to revisit that topic and finished it.

In case if you have not prepared any notebook for jotting down all the necessary formulas and equations, then this crash course will give you the opportunity to make one.

About the Author:

Abhyuday Joshi is a BAMS 3rd-year student at Patanjali Ayurvedic Medical College, Haridwar. He enjoys writing, singing and dancing in his free time.