Exams are extremely stressful events in life, and the only way to deal with them satisfactorily is to be well prepared. The preparation time and level varies from one exam to the other. With ideal preparation and timely training, one can learn to make the most out of whatever time is available for preparation.
EARLY PREPARATIONIIT-JEE is considered to be the toughest engineering entrance examination due to its vast course outline, complex question papers and strict marking structure. It takes rock-solid preparation to crack this test in one attempt. Moreover, with IITs restricting the number of attempts, now students have just got two chances — one just after the Class XII board exams and the second in the succeeding year. To ensure complete success, it is important for every aspirant to crack the JEE (Advanced) in the first attempt itself, as waiting for the second attempt can prove too risky.
Hence, sincere students aspiring to secure a seat in the IITs should realise the importance of starting to prepare at an early stage. The sooner you start, the better you’ll perform in the JEE.
SCHEDULING TIMETo beat the competition, one should first be able to recognise his/her strengths as early as possible and start working on them in time. If students move past high school, they experience a major shift in curriculum, and the need to balance school studies of Classes XI and XII with engineering preparations becomes quite taxing. To tackle this, it’s logical that students have a good time in hand to understand and work on the concepts. The consolidation of concepts is spread over a longer academic plan, as compared to those who start preparing after Class XI.
Simultaneously, it’s important to stress that the IIT entrance exam is not just about concepts, but how well the student is able to apply these concepts practically in day-to-day problems.
All of these can be achieved if preparations for the JEE begin early. It does not mean that students should start IIT preparation as early as Class VI, but neither must they wait till the start of Class XI. The right time to start preparing is Class IX. Let us consider the implications of starting at the right age.
SELF-AWARENESS: Personal development begins with self-awareness. With it, you get to know who you really are, your principles, beliefs and the purpose you wish to chase. True accomplishment can never come from chasing other people’s dreams. If you want to achieve lasting contentment, you need to carve out a path based on your strong points. It will enable you to pursue your own goals and objectives. When you are chasing your own target, there is as much happiness to be attained from the voyage as there is to be derived on achieving the target.
SENSE OF DIRECTION: With self-awareness, you are clear about the goals and objectives. Decision-making becomes less tricky. Tasks which used to eat up your time now no longer appear in your to-do list. Now you are more focused towards your objectives and therefore, do not worry about those little things.
FOCUS AND EFFICACY: With the above stated transformations in your life, prioritisation becomes a lot easier. Now your objectives are clearer and you can swiftly make out which task will deliver the finest result with the resources accessible at that moment.
FLEXIBILITY: In the course of achieving your set objectives from life, you are likely to encounter tough times as well, and in order to deal with them effectively, you need to demonstrate the right skills and traits.
The level of maturity you have gained will definitely help you in your trying times. At this stage of your life, you are totally a new person with greater poise, flexibility, personal and interpersonal abilities to deal with any challenge.
There is no harm in starting your preparations for IIT-JEE early as it only helps you in terms of defining your goals, providing a great sense of direction and enhancing focus, thereby giving you more revision time and time to check the examination temperament.
The author is the head of FIITJEE Study Centre, Noida.
