Q. Should students compromise with sleep during JEE/NEET preparation? What should be the ideal sleep cycle?
It is almost a known fact that most JEE/NEET aspirants are buried under a mountain of syllabus, question papers and reference materials. Stress and anxiety associated with it often compels them to forgo sleep/food and study for prolonged hours. However, a sleep-deprived mind within a lethargic body with poor nutrition results in lack of concentration and poor retention ability. They often end up spending long hours learning simple concepts which could have been done easily by a sound mind.
Hence ,sleep plays a quintessential role in our JEE/NEET preparation which must not be compromised upon. It is generally advised for students to have 7 hours of sound sleep, preferably in a single stretch. Studies reveal that sleeping at night (darkness) releases serotonin in the body ,which makes us feel calm ,relaxed and rejuvenated. Late night study sessions along with frequent power naps during the days should hence be avoided. Therefore, a proper sleep schedule ensures our mental well-being and helps us fare better in exams.
Q. Should JEE/NEET aspirants follow several books, references and study materials to ace their respective exams?
No, students are strongly advised to refrain from following multiple sources at the same time. They not only take huge amounts of precious time but also add to the already existing stress and anxiety. The added pressure often becomes a humongous challenge for most students , who already find it cumbersome to study the vast and extensive syllabus of JEE/NEET. Furthermore, following multiple sources generally offers little to no help to improve their performance as most of them contain similar content with few changes.
Instead ,students are recommended to thoroughly understand the exam pattern and read the standard preparation books in great detail. It not also ensures a good performance but also allows them to get familiarized with the general trends in question papers. Therefore, students should practice questions on a regular basis to ensure better marks. The exams thoroughly tests the student’s ability to solve questions under limited time and stressful conditions. Hence, one should revise and practice regularly instead of juggling between different sources and study materials.
Q. How can I manage my Board exams and JEE/NEET preparation at the same time?
Many aspirants stress over the fact that they need to thoroughly prepare for their Board exams while simultaneously studying for JEE/NEET. Both the examinations are quite different in terms of exam pattern, mode of answer and required skill sets. While Board exams demand subjective answers with good writing/organizing skills ,JEE/NEET expects students to solve objective questions with adequate speed, precision and accuracy. However, the fundamental syllabus, presence of mind and conceptual learning required for both the exams remains one and the same.
During the initial months of preparation, students should predominantly focus on concept learning and sharpening of mental skills instead of memorizing formulas and information gathering (rote knowledge).Hence , it would allow them to practice the particular skill set required for the exam, 1-2 months prior to the final showdown. For example, students can focus more on answer composition and subject question answers ,days before their Board exams. Similarly , special attention should be provided to solving speed , analytical skills and objective question-answers at least a month ahead of the JEE/NEET exam.
Q. How to make an efficient timetable for JEE Main and JEE Advance?
All JEE/NEET aspirants must realize that exam strategy, study hours and preparation techniques differ from person to person.They all have their individual needs, requirements,strengths, weaknesses and areas of improvement that must be considered while formulating an effective study-plan. Hence, a definite answer to the posed problem seems impossible at the moment . However, certain things need to be kept in mind while aiming for the best-suited timetable for a person.
It is quintessential to analyze that, at what time of the day can the student show maximum concentration and productivity. For example, many students study at the break of the dawn while others become night owls. Some students even tend to doze off after meals. Hence, the study hours should be positioned accurately to ensure best performance.
At times, students tend to run behind the number of study hours instead of keeping pace with their quality. For example, studying for 10+ hours seems useless if one could not finish an assignment meant to be done in 2 hours. Hence, quality of study hours matter instead of quantity.
One must exploit their strengths and weaknesses to the right extent. Appropriate time must be allotted to each subject and concept to ace JEE/NEET. Some topics need to be prioritized over others according to marks, exam patterns and general trends. Hence, an efficient study plan widely differs from person to person. Choose the best-suited timetable with help to our mentors. Join RankersPrep today itself!
Q. What should I concentrate more on Class XI or Class XII ?
Syllabus of JEE/NEET consists of concepts from both Class XI and Class XII . Hence ,choosing one over the other seems absolutely unfair. With a rise in competition with each passing year, it's quintessential for students to focus on both Class XI and Class XII syllabus to ace the examination. Therefore, one must start their preparation from an early stage to ensure a good performance .As the saying goes, ”An early bird catches the worm.”
However, according to recent exam patterns, past question papers and general trends; the concepts of Class XII seem to have a slight edge when compared to Class XI. Hence, in dire situations ,one can even overshadow Class XI syllabus to have a better focus on Class XII concepts. It can ensure a better performance and productivity.
Q. What do students make the common mistakes during JEE/NEET preparation?
Several lakh students appear for both JEE and NEET each passing year. With limited seats, extensive syllabus and cut-throat competition these exams demand accuracy, precision, speed and conceptual clarity to a large extent. In such stressful circumstances, mistakes are bound to happen. The following are few of the common mistakes generally made by students during their JEE/NEET preparation:
Quantity VS Quality
Many students tend to run behind the number of study hours while compromising their productivity during the day. This leads to pent up frustration, lethargy and decreased efficiency thereby hampering their performance.
Juggling between Books
Studying different books, resources and study materials at the same time for the same concept does little to no benefit. It leads to time wastage which could have been easily prevented by following standard preparation books.
Storing away Doubts
Many students tend to withhold their doubts until the end of the lesson to grasp the overall scenario. This negativity impacts the performance as it prevents the much required conceptual clarity.
Peer Pressure
Many aspirants even shy away from asking questions or raising hands due to fear of embarrassment and peer pressure. This added degree of discomfort could later toil with their JEE/NEET preparation.
Running behind Clock
Some students even procrastinate their studies till the last moment due to poor exam temperament. This further leads to confusion, added stress and lack of conceptual understanding. Such situations must be avoided at all costs.
Q. How should I manage pressure in last months of preparation?
Last minute preparation hacks and techniques are quintessential for all aspirants of JEE/NEET. While many of them are usually done with their conceptual understanding ,there are a few who haven't started yet .However, their temperament, exam strategy, planning and preparation for the next few months could make or break the game.
Students are advised to memorize formulas, solve examples and practice question papers on a daily basis. Revising learnt concepts while focusing on the difficult sections of syllabus seems to be advantageous. However, a positive attitude towards exam, determination, and hardwork seems to break through all. It is also observed that certain questions and exam trends seems to repeat over years. Hence, exploiting such questions and resources with great detail helps one to ace their exams. All in all, putting best efforts with a sound mind and constant level of hardwork paves way for one to achieve their dreams.
