How To Crack JEE Mains? Tips That Make A Difference!

JEE is not an exam that hasn't been heard of. In the January session of JEE Main 2023, 8.6 lakh candidates registered, and 8.2 lakh students participated in the test. Similarly, for the April session of JEE Main 2023, a whopping 9.3 lakh students registered, and 8.8 lakh students took the exam. 

The Joint Entrance Examination, JEE (Main), is conducted for admission to Undergraduate Engineering Programs (B.E/B.Tech.) at NITs, IIITs, other Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs), and Institutions/Universities funded/recognized by participating State Governments. JEE (Main) is also an eligibility test for JEE (Advanced), which is conducted for admission to IITs. 

The Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India has entrusted the responsibility of conducting the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE Main) to the NTA from 2019 onwards.

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How to crack JEE Mains? Understanding the pattern

• The JEE exams are divided into JEE Mains and JEE Advanced. 
• JEE Mains is a replacement for AIEEE, and students clearing it will be eligible for admission in Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs), National Institute of Technology (NITs), centrally funded technical institutes, and State-funded technical institutes. JEE Mains also serves as an eligibility test/prelims for JEE Advanced.
• JEE Advanced is the replacement for what used to be IIT-JEE. Any student wishing to get admission to any of the IITs throughout the country must appear for JEE Mains. After clearing it, they become eligible to appear in JEE Advanced.
• No weightage is given to the 12^th board’s marks for the ranking in JEE Mains. However, students should have scored at least 75% marks (65% for category students) in order to qualify for admission.

Pattern

JEE Mains comprises two parts: Paper 1 and Paper 2. Students can choose to appear for both of them or choose either one.

• Paper 1 is for B.E/B.Tech courses (online mode). 
• Paper 2 is for B.Arch/B. Planning courses (both offline and online mode) and consist of questions from Mathematics, Aptitude, and Drawing.

Other details of the exam are as follows:

JEE Advanced

Preparing for JEE is different than preparing for your boards, even if most of the topics seem to overlap. The concepts and types of questions differ a lot, thus a student needs to make sure their preparation is not one dimensional.

Subject-wise Preparation Tips 

Physics

If we look at the past 3-year physics papers of JEE, the topics that had the maximum number of questions were:

• Modern Physics
• EMI, AC/EM waves, and Communication
• Magnetic effects
• Current Electricity
• Electrostatics
• Heat and Thermodynamics
• Ray and wave optics
• Gravitation and rotational mechanics

However, this does not mean that the other topics could be overlooked, as the JEE papers are known to shift focus from time to time. It is advisable to have a clear understanding of the rest of the topics, too.

Pay attention to the numerical problems from all the sections as they fetch most of the marks. About 20% weightage is given to the practical aspects of physics.

Focus on the concepts and use them to solve problems of varying difficulty levels. Use every mode available to you, be it books, online reading/visual material, or coaching.

Make flashcards of the derivations, experiments, and formulas and use them every day for revision. It’s a hassle-free way of remembering even the most complex things.

Important books to refer for Physics

1. NCERT books 1 and 2
2. Concepts of Physics by H.C.Verma
3. Problems in General Physics by I.E.Irodov
4. Arihant Physics/IIT-JEE Physics by D.C.Pandey
5. Fundamentals of Physics by Resnick, Halliday and Walker

Chemistry

If we look at the past 3-year question papers, the topics that had the maximum number of questions were:

• Biomolecules
• Organic chemistry
• Functional groups
• Chemistry of representative elements
• Transition elements
• Chemistry in everyday life

It is important to divide preparation between all three parts - Physical, Inorganic and Organic chemistry. Physical chemistry constitutes the majority of the questions, followed by organic and then inorganic chemistry.

It goes without saying that the periodic tables, reactions, and formulas should be revised regularly so that you don’t have to struggle to remember them during the exam.

Important books to refer for Chemistry

1. NCERT books 1 and 2
2. Physical and Organic Chemistry by O.P. Tandon
3. Numerical Chemistry by P. Bahadur
4. Concise Inorganic Chemistry by J.D.Lee

Mathematics

The past question papers show the following topics having the biggest share of the questions:

• Matrices and determinants
• 3-D Coordinate geometry
• Quadratic equations
• Inequalities
• Progressions
• Conics
• Indefinite and definite integrals and area under the curve
• Applications of derivatives
• Limits, continuity, and differentiability

Mathematics is considered to be the toughest part of JEE, which can only be won by constant practice that increases speed and accuracy. Along with the correctness of the answer, it is equally important how fast you do it.

Algebra, trigonometry, coordinate geometry, and calculus are considered to be some of the important, recurring topics in JEE. Lay special emphasis on learning these from scratch, making your concepts clear.

Mock tests are the easiest way to know where you lack and what your strong points are. So, solve them regularly without getting bogged down by the marks you obtain in them in the initial phases. As you practice, you will improve, and so will your marks. 

Books to refer for Mathematics

1. NCERT (1 and 2)
2. Class 11^th and 12^th mathematics by R.D.Sharma
3. Trigonometry and Geometry by S.L.Loney
4. Higher Algebra by Hall and Knight
5. Problems in Calculus by I.A.Maron

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Summing Up

1. The competition in JEE is stiff, and the difficulty level is fairly high. But a streamlined preparation strategy and consistent practice is the key to cracking it
2. Time management is crucial, and so is forming short-term and long-term goals. These will be important for covering maximum ground in each subject while constantly testing oneself.
3. Don’t overlook the Board exams while preparing for the competitive exams. Many students make the mistake of ignoring the Board exams, thus jeopardizing their admission criteria itself. Remember, it’s important to score the minimum percentage in your board exams to be considered for admissions, no matter what your rank in the competitive exams is. 
4. Apart from the NCERT, pick up and focus on select books that help your concepts better. Don’t follow the crowd and choose books that fit your needs the best. The objective is to strengthen the basic as well as advanced topics, irrespective of the book you follow. 
5. Don’t leave any topics undone during your preparation, no matter how dreary or boring they are. 
6. Make use of websites that aid your studies in interesting ways. This is a fun way to revise what you already know and learn new concepts for JEE.
7. The official JEE website has mock/sample papers and JEE previous years' papers. Practice them thoroughly and make use of similar materials on different websites.
8. Time your tests. Completing the paper on/before time is a skill that will only come if you have practiced enough. Practice brings accuracy, which brings speed. And in every competitive exam, time management matters the most.
9. Keep up to date with the official notifications. The JEE papers have gone through major changes in the past, and keeping track of it is always recommended.
10. Distance yourself from things that might distract your preparation. However, this should not be confused with complete isolation.
11. Keep yourself fit by exercising and eating well. Turn towards your hobbies in your free time to relax, and reach out to your parents and teachers for counseling if you feel overwhelmed.

With regular practice, focus, and a determined mind, JEE can be a smooth drive. Don’t lose sight of your goals, but remember to cut yourself some slack, too. These exams don’t ever decide your personal worth; your mind does. Best of luck!

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