Successfully clearing boards and competitive exams such as JEE are important milestones in the lives of students. It is fair to say that their professional journey is shaped by their scores in these exams.
Exams, in general, bring a little bit of anxiety. But coupled with balancing the preparation for board exams, competitive exams, extra-curricular activities and school work, makes it an even more intimidating prospect.
This reminds me of a quote by Alexander Graham Bell. He said, "Before anything else, preparation is the key to success." I believe it is vital to have a strategy in place. Setting a goal for ourselves, whether short-term or long-term, is the first step towards success. In creating a goal for ourselves, we are creating a roadmap of how to achieve what we desire. It also helps eliminate distractions and stress by giving us a clearer picture of the time and resources needed to realize our dreams.
With that in mind, here are a few things you can do to ensure you prepare for JEE without hindering your board examination preparations.
1. The most important thing when you start preparing for any examination is to understand that you are an individual, and while studying for long hours at a stretch may work for your bestie, it may not be the best course of action for you. Identify your strengths and play to them. You do you. If you find studying early in the morning works best for you, take the effort to customize your schedule to meet your needs and utilize your skills. Take regular breaks and eat well. No engines work without fuel and rest.
2. Before you start preparing for either exam, ensure you gain an understanding of the syllabus. While board exams focus solely on the syllabus outlined by NCERT, for the JEE exam preparation you need to identify good reference books for each subject. The best way to go about this is by comparing the syllabus for both examinations. Since there will be an overlap to a certain degree, you will easily know the topics you need to study in-depth. For example, the JEE mains syllabus outlines topics covered in the NCERT textbooks, so make sure you dedicate extra time and effort when studying them. This way will also help you manage your time most efficiently.
3. Since the topics and concepts mentioned in the NCERT books form the foundation for the topics covered in JEE, make sure you start studying them thoroughly. You need your basics of the concepts to be firm before you venture to study their application. Correlation is a fantastic way to understand concepts and their applications, so when you make your notes, make sure you mention the examples too. When studying from the NCERT books, make an effort to solve all the questions at the end of each chapter. Here, you will also find extra questions, which are generally application based, which will help you evaluate your understanding of the topics and hence will contribute to your JEE preparations.
4. If you have enrolled in preparatory classes, you may find yourself dedicating a lot of time to mock tests and revisions specific to JEE. And while that is important, so is the NCERT syllabus. So design a study schedule in a manner that you dedicate time to studying the topics in the NCERT books on the same day as the JEE studies. So start with the basics from the NCERT and then delve deeper for the JEE prep.
5. Make notes as you study. Highlight crucial concepts in your textbooks (Different highlighters for either exam prep can go a long way) and maintain separate notebooks for your boards and JEE preparation to make detailed notes for easy reference. Keep these notes handy whenever you revise, making additions whenever you feel the need. During the final stages of your revisions, these notes will come in very handy and will save you the trouble of going through entire chapters in a hunt for select concepts.
6. It is great to compare notes. It helps you ensure you have covered all the topics and even modify your approach to make it more efficient, but refrain from comparing your progress to others and tune out those who boast about their progress. As much as success in an exam depends on your preparations, it is also a mind game. Comparing your progress may give rise to unnecessary anxiety and stress. Remaining calm and believing in yourself is just as vital as preparing well. Remember, competition is beneficial for you only if it helps you. Use it to propel you forward, and do not let it slow you down.
Finally, as said by the late actress Audrey Hepburn, "Nothing is impossible. The word itself says I'm possible." A positive approach and the correct perspective is one of the crucial things that can help set you apart in your exams and life. All the best!
About The Author
With close to 2 decades in leadership roles in Education and the Hospitality Industry, Nasir has always ensured to ‘Put People First’ and to lead the team to Pursue Excellence with Integrity to drive outstanding results for all stakeholders. He has always led with a passion for the success of his team and organization while focusing on driving more. His penchant for innovation and leadership skills have helped the brands he has worked at, to weave several success stories of growth, cementing his position as a name to reckon with. His empowering direction led his organization’s and him to win numerous awards over the years.
