Managing Boards and JEE
Two exams that can shape your future. How do you ensure you do well in both?
Juggling the Board exams and the JEE is quite a task. With almost all exams having a cutoff on your percentage, the Board exams can’t be underestimated anymore. Almost all Board exams start in March while JEE (mains) starts in April, which means you have to plan your board and JEE preparation extremely meticulously. Here are some tips which you should keep in mind before you get started:
Concepts and theory
While JEE is about practice, Board exams are about theory. You have to be proficient at articulating the theory and concepts you have learnt rather than applying them across many questions. You would be tested heavily on theory, and, hence, this provides a great opportunity for you to master it and brush up some concepts in more detail.
While JEE is about practice, Board exams are about theory. You have to be proficient at articulating the theory and concepts you have learnt rather than applying them across many questions. You would be tested heavily on theory, and, hence, this provides a great opportunity for you to master it and brush up some concepts in more detail.
In the Board exams, revision is the key to scoring marks. There are some aspects to each subject that need to be learnt by heart, and revising them thoroughly can help you fetch easy marks. If you have a time constraint, prioritise the chapters with maximum weightage, which you have already covered, and make sure that you revise them.
Have a plan
Before you put pen to paper, have a goal and plan in your mind. Use the time for preparing for board exams to optimise your JEE preparation. A structured and detailed plan will not just help you focus, but will also enable you to see the entire syllabus at one go and then break it down piece by piece. Here, you should be extremely careful not to exaggerate your abilities to complete topics. Be practical and create a plan that satisfies the Boards as well as JEE preparations. Trying to do too much will be stressful and disappointing because it is not possible to work all day continuously without rest.
Before you put pen to paper, have a goal and plan in your mind. Use the time for preparing for board exams to optimise your JEE preparation. A structured and detailed plan will not just help you focus, but will also enable you to see the entire syllabus at one go and then break it down piece by piece. Here, you should be extremely careful not to exaggerate your abilities to complete topics. Be practical and create a plan that satisfies the Boards as well as JEE preparations. Trying to do too much will be stressful and disappointing because it is not possible to work all day continuously without rest.
Include breaks, naps and snacks in your plan as well, so that you replenish your body from time to time. Make it a point to go through the entire syllabus thoroughly without missing out on any topic. Many students tend to leave out topics because they think they are too easy or too difficult or because they barely have time. Start your preparation early so that you have enough time to complete the syllabus. Make sure you touch every aspect of the syllabus regardless of what you think about it (easy or difficult). This approach will help you ace your Boards as well as your JEE exam because you will have studied everything clearly.
Understand the pattern
Having a thorough understanding of the question paper pattern is a must. This will help you prepare more efficiently because you will know how much time you can spend on each question or section. Note the differences between the board exam paper pattern and the IIT pattern. Do not get confused between the two. Do not compare your Board exam preparation with your JEE exam preparation. In fact, you shouldn’t compare any aspect of these exams. Use the time during board exam preparation to optimise your JEE preparation but do not keep comparing the exams at every step. This will lead to confusion. Practise working out papers from previous years. This will help you polish concepts that you are not confident about and get into the real groove of the IIT-JEE examination. Based on the results, enhance your study process. Also, do not miss out on previous years’ Board exam papers.
Having a thorough understanding of the question paper pattern is a must. This will help you prepare more efficiently because you will know how much time you can spend on each question or section. Note the differences between the board exam paper pattern and the IIT pattern. Do not get confused between the two. Do not compare your Board exam preparation with your JEE exam preparation. In fact, you shouldn’t compare any aspect of these exams. Use the time during board exam preparation to optimise your JEE preparation but do not keep comparing the exams at every step. This will lead to confusion. Practise working out papers from previous years. This will help you polish concepts that you are not confident about and get into the real groove of the IIT-JEE examination. Based on the results, enhance your study process. Also, do not miss out on previous years’ Board exam papers.
Take up a test series
Studying with the help of a test series will also help you focus, understand your weak points and augment your studying methodology accordingly. Many test series are available on the Internet that you can make use of for the Board and IIT-JEE preparation.
Studying with the help of a test series will also help you focus, understand your weak points and augment your studying methodology accordingly. Many test series are available on the Internet that you can make use of for the Board and IIT-JEE preparation.
Studying for both exams hand-in-hand will give you ample time to prepare for JEE (mains) once the board exams are over and ensure that you do well in boards as well.
The writer is the co-founder of toppr.com
