COVID-19 and JEE Main have posed a double challenge on students. With only one month left for the exam, it’s time for students to gear up. RAMESH BATLISH shares tips that can help

The JEE Main 2020 is conducted by The National Testing Agency (NTA) for admission to undergraduate programmes in NITs, IIITs and other Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs), in the next academic year (2020-2021) in two phases, the first phase for Admissions to BE/BTech(Paper-1) & BArch/B Planning (Paper-2) was held from Jan  6 to Jan 11, 2020 and the second phase for admissions to BE/BTech (Paper-1) & BArch/BPlanning (Paper-2) earlier scheduled in April, will be now be held between July 18 to July 23, 2020. Students have the option to appear in one or both phases. The result will however consider the students’ performance in the best of the two phases. Due to COVID-19 students had the option to change their test centres till May 3 as earlier announced by NTA.

The JEE Main Paper 1 will be conducted in two sessions per day and the candidates will be allotted slots keeping in mind social distancing and students will also be required to adhere to safety measures while taking the exam. The safety guidelines will be made available to the students in their e-hall tickets which will be issued to the students.  For appearing in the JEE (Main) examination there is no age limit for the candidates. The candidates who have passed Class XII/ equivalent examination in 2018, 2019 or appearing in 2020 irrespective of their age can appear in JEE (Main) examination — 2020.

Study plan in the last one month:

The last one month should generally be utilised to consolidate one’s preparation by focusing on revision at a glance, problem solving and overcoming the weaker areas in preparation. However, the following points should be kept in mind:

• Build your immunity to stay physically and mentally fit.
• Remain focused and maintain a positive attitude while studying.
• Develop speed by solving quizzes/Mock Tests of JEE Main level problems with time management.
• Speed & Accuracy will be your key to success in JEE Main
• Take Online mock-test series to build a winning exam temperament.
• Sample papers will give you a fair idea about the pattern of questions and help one improve time management.
• Solve the previous year’s JEE/AIEEE papers for understanding the level of questions asked.
• Focus on your weaker areas and improve your concepts.
• Remember it is the quality of time spent and not the quantity alone. Hence, take short breaks of five to ten minutes after every one or two hours of serious study. Relax completely when you take a break.
• Practice meditation to develop inner calm, poise, confidence and power of concentration.
• Don’t overstress yourself. Relaxation exercises may help to regain freshness. Avoid over-sleeping during the day.
• If one has the right attitude required towards preparation for the JEE Main, then even an average student can crack it.
• Finally, don’t be nervous if you find the paper tough since it is the relative performance that counts. Put your best analytical mind to work and believe in your preparation.

Strategy to attempt the questions in JEE(Main) paper:

Sometimes the Right Strategy and Time Management play a vital role in deciding the rank for an aspirant. So, one must be quick enough to adapt to the level of the paper and act promptly. The following points may however be kept in mind when attempting the questions.

Dos:

• Attempt easy questions first.
• Choose sections that have less risk and more gain.
• Carefully scroll through the entire question paper in the first five minutes.
• Keep a check on time while attempting the paper.
• Attempt all numerical based type questions first as there is no negative marking.
• Don’ts
• Don’t start from question you don’t know.
• Don’t get upset if any section is tough. You can score in other sections.
• Don’t guess if you have no idea about the concept involved in a question.
• Don’t be nervous if you find the paper tough, since it is the relative performance that counts. Hence, put your best analytical mind to work, it will take you ahead.

Key points that will decide your Rank in JEE Main (Paper-1):

• How well you have mastered the important topics in each of Physics, Chemistry & Mathematics.
• How much practice you have done on similar levels of questions as asked in JEE Main.
• How well you have perfected on your timing of solving an objective type question.
• How much attention you have given to time management & Strategy apart from covering your syllabi.
• How much calm & confident you are when you take up the actual exam.

Tips for the JEE(Main)-final exam day & a day before:

• Think positively and don’t discuss about your preparation as this may indirectly make you nervous even if you are well prepared. Don’t talk anything about JEE (Main) with others.
• One day before JEE Main, do not study anything new.
• Stay calm, confident and trust yourself.
• Brush up important formulae in all three subjects.
• Relax yourself or indulge in meditation a day before the actual exam in order to give your best on the exam day.
• Don’t ask your friend how much they have studied. It will create unnecessary pressure.
• Have a sound sleep for at least six-seven hours.

The writer is FIITJEE expert