Go full throttle for IITs

R. L.Trikha 

With JEE Main 2017 cracked successfully, the next task at hand is to crack JEE Advanced 2017.

Cracking JEE Main is just the beginning in the journey to become an IITian. Now comes the stage wherein aspirants have to take another final step to clear JEE Advanced 2017, which is to be held on May 21. This year approximately  2, 20,000 top rankers from JEE Main will be eligible to take JEE Advanced 2017.

By this time you must have an idea about your preparation level; what works for you and what doesn't. Keeping all your strengths and weaknesses in mind leave no stone unturned in last leg of preparation to tackle JEE Advanced 2017. 

JEE Advanced comprises two three-hour objective papers: Paper-1 and Paper-2. Each paper is balanced in three subjects: physics, chemistry and mathematics. Certain sections come with negative marking for incorrect answers. Some questions have one or more than one correct answer requiring deep analytical reasoning and skills in application of concepts. It is this system of negative marking which sets the JEE Advanced apart, owing to the decimating influence on the overall marks and the relative position at which students are ranked.

Here are a few tips that can come in handy in the last leg of preparation:

Revising complete syllabus

With time running out, the most important task is managing the time that you have in the most efficient way possible. Revise all concepts from notes with flags on question requiring tricks and analytical reasoning.

Devote equal time to all three subjects.

Work to a well thought out plan

Understand your limitations and opportunities, your weaknesses and strengths. This is not the time when you try anything fresh or tackle difficult unsolved problems thrown at you. Just revise and perfect concepts. Be stronger by honing your strength. Focus your energy on learning or retaining rather than just studying. Different from rote learning, JEE advanced requires enmeshed analytical skills with a great emphasis on critical thinking. Hence, it is imperative to understand the application of concepts well.

Set yourself daily targets based on your capabilities. Do not set unattainable targets, because these when not achieved can be demoralising. Set yourself reasonable targets. Your study plan must also make room for testing. A well-conceived study plan and regular mock tests would help you streamline your preparation.

Mock tests in stimulated environment

Solve mock tests and past papers to know gaps and weak areas in your preparation. Strengthen these areas and check with further mock tests. Keep a track of time taken to solve questions and keep it to the bare minimum. Given the limited time frame in which the JEE Advanced paper needs to be cracked, it is always a good practice to monitor the time spent per question, while practising. While solving question papers browse through the entire paper before beginning it. This practice of assessing and prioritising questions based on your capabilities will be helpful in the examination. You can easily score on questions that you know and keep the most difficult ones towards end during second attempt after finishing paper with 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Don't overstress yourself

Five to six hours of sleep every night is a must, especially three-four days before IIT-JEE to keep you physically and mentally fit. While short naps may help to regain freshness, avoid over-sleeping during the day.

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Strategy 

Multiple Choice Single Correct: The best way to attempt these questions is to run through the question-option-question way. Scanning the question again after the options in mind helps strategising the approach to solve the question. Sometimes the options themselves guide the correct strategy or even the correct answer.

Multiple Choice Multi Correct: Each question has to be solved and mapped with all options. It may also happen that the options are same values written in different form. Statistically these are the questions with least percentage of correct responses.

Comprehension Based: Even if you know the concept mentioned in comprehension, you should still read it thoroughly. In that case your conventionally correct approach might lead to incorrect answer. This will help you quickly reach the correct mapping.

Matrix Match Type: If the question is of one-to-one matching, then your approach should be finding

Matrix Match Type: This is the most challenging and time taking. Attempt this problem only  if you are confident on the concepts of all four rows, or else keep this question in abeyance for attempting last.

Integer Answer Type: Generally these questions are the subjective questions converted to objective, and hence would be time consuming. The correct way would be treat them as subjective and solve them only if you have a command on the topic or if you have attempted all other questions of the paper. These questions also have a low scoring statistical record.

Assertion Reasoning Type: These days these types of questions are rarely asked. But in case there are a few questions of this category, be very careful if both the statements are correct.

All the best!

— The writer is Director, FIITJEE