"It is not very difficult to crack JEE exam if you plan your studies properly.
"You have to regularly give mock tests in topic wise and cumulative formats.
"Performance analysis of the test is must and based on that the weaknesses have to be taken care of immediately.
Vinay Kumar, CEO and managing director, Rao IIT Academy shares tips on cracking the IIT-Joint Entrance Exam.
If you want to appear for the IIT-Joint Entrance Exam, you need to start planning at least two years in advance and perhaps start preparing a year ahead of the exam.
In an online chat with readers last week, Vinay Kumar, CEO and managing director, Rao IIT Academy addressed queries related to the exam and offered advice on how to optimise preparation and score better.
For those who missed the chat, here's the unedited transcript:
Rakesh: How can I know whether I am qualified to write JEE (Advanced). How can I check my self?
Vinay KUMAR: Dear student, first you need to qualify JEE Main exam and come in top 1.5 lakh students (including all categories) who become eligible to appear for JEE Advanced.
dananjaypuri: hi, students have the habit of cramming and learning as many new concepts as possible.
At the same time, most of them fail to take mock tests before the actual exams.
Vinay Kumar: Hello, students should regularly give tests. They should also give tests of different formats.
Like with or without negative marking, with different types of question formats etc.
This way they will always be test ready and will also be able to analyse their strengths and weaknesses in different types of formats.
Along with this they should also attempt the last 3-5 year papers of the exam for which they are preparing.
mustafa: Is it difficult to crack the JEE? I started preparing only last year.
Vinay Kumar: It is not very difficult to crack JEE exam if you plan your studies properly.
At every instance you should know what you have completed and what is left. You have to regularly give mock tests in topic wise and cumulative formats.
Performance analysis of the test is must and based on that the weaknesses have to be taken care of immediately.
A full revision and complete dedication towards studies in the last 2 months before the actual exam helps a lot!
Chandrashekhar Bhat: If one starts now, just 4-5 months to go, can someone catch up?
Vinay Kumar: Yes, you can also catch up. You need to now prepare as per the weightage of different chapters which usually come in the exam.
Chapters expected to have higher weight age should be given more importance.
Sanjay khanna: How can a student manage school as well as coaching studies simultaneously?
Vinay Kumar: Hello, you need to understand that coaching study and school study is not different because the course syllabus is almost same for both.
It is just the pattern of examination which is different and the difficulty level.
Students should ensure that their concept understanding is strong which will help them in school as well as in competitive exams.
vijay: sir, I am in class eighth. When should one start preparing for JEE?
Vinay Kumar: Hello, your JEE preparation will start in 11th but the base required in PCM will have to be made from now onwards only.
A simple example is Motion chapter in Physics. It will be in your syllabus till 12th. So, you have to ensure that your understanding of Motion is very good.
It will help you to go fast in Std 11th and 12th and finish your course early so that sufficient time is there for revision.
hezal: What is the weightage attached to class 10 and 12 marks?
What is the minimum marks and percentage I must score to qualify for JEE?
Vinay Kumar: For admission to centrally funded institutes via JEE Main 40 per cent weightage is given to boards marks of Std 12th and 60 per cent to JEE Main score.
For admission to state engineering colleges some states give 50:50 weightage and some give 40:60 weightage.
Some states also consider PCM marks only for calculating boards weightage instead of 5 subjects.
romil: What should be the ideal overall score to get admission in the IITs?
Vinay Kumar: There is no ideal score as such but if you score at least 45-50 per cent marks in JEE Advanced you should positively get a good IIT seat.
mayank: What is the minimum score required to crack the JEE Main?
Vinay Kumar: Students from General category who scored 105/360 in JEE Main 2015 were eligible for appearing in JEE (Advanced) 2015. That means they were in the top 1.5 lakh students in India.
nayan: Besides JEE, what other entrance exams can I apply for? I aim to pursue mechanical engineering in 2017.
Vinay Kumar: You should also apply for BITSAT, VITEEE, SRMJEE and Manipal.
Krishna Murthi: Please explain me what are steps to get IIT admission? That is how many stage exams. Pl explain
Vinay Kumar: You need to appear JEE Main and come in Top 1.5 lakh students in the country. Then you need to appear JEE Advanced and come in its final rank list based on which admissions are done.
For admission to IITs you also need to be in Top 20 percentile of passed students in your STD 12th boards or 75 per cent in 12th boards whichever is lower.
Hazal: My son is in class 11. What according to you is the best time for him to start preparing?
Also we cannot afford private tuitions. Kindly suggest good preparation books for him
Vinay Kumar: He should start his preparation now without any further delay.
Krishnadas Balan: My son is pursuing his class 12th this year and he is also preparing for his JEE exams.
He has a very tight schedule and his marks in PCM fluctuate in various exams.
In some exams he does very well in Physics, sometimes in Chemistry and likewise in Maths. What should be done to bring in consistency?
Vinay Kumar: First you need to analyse the areas where his performance is fluctuating.
For e.g. He may be strong in Physics but weak in some particular types of questions where he is loosing marks. He may be doing lot of negative marking also if conceptual problems are asked more.
Some recommended books for JEE: Std 12th Boards books (most important) Concepts of Physics – HC Verma Physics – Resnich Halliday Physical Chemistry – OP Tondon Numerical Chemistry – P Bahadur Organic Chemistry - Morrison / Boyd Mathematics – Cengage Learning Trignometry, Coordinate Geometry – SL Loney Algebra – Hall and Knight Calculus – Thomas and Finney
anand tated: After qualifying IIT, once the candidate is in the lookout for jobs, is it that only male candidates are preferred looking at the nature of the industry job?
What is the scope and hindrance for a female candidate in opportunities after getting a IIT Degree.
Are there any specific ranches where Female candidates have good scope?
Vinay Kumar: Today female candidates have equal opportunities for jobs except for some specialised jobs like in petroleum industry.
Krishna Murthi: Pl tell me when will IIT main and Advanced exam conducted? Will it disrupt 12th study?
Vinay Kumar: JEE Main normally happens in 1st week of April immediately after 12th Boards. JEE Advanced happens in last week of May.
Krishna Murthi: I am staying in Chennai .Suppose my daughter clear eligible test.
Is it possible to get admission in Madras IIT Engineering instead of sending outside IIT or I have to send wherever they allot the IIT seat.
Vinay Kumar: During the admission procedure after JEE advanced result you need to give your branch and college preference which are considered as per your ranking. So, whatever best is available as per your preference and availability will be allotted to you.
Krishna Murthi: To get admission, private tuition is necessary or self preparation is sufficient.
Vinay Kumar: Self preparation should be sufficient if the student can plan the study schedule properly and can analyse his/her performance at different levels of testing.
Timely course completion and proper revision is must. Preparation should be done at the level required for competitive exams. Last 5-7 year papers should give a fair idea of the study level required.
birrender jha: My son is in class XII. He is good in Boards but scoring 50-60 per cent in IIT coaching (one of the reputed in Mumbai).
How can he improve it how to study in last 8 months please suggest.
Vinay Kumar: If he is scoring 50 to 60 per cent marks in JEE advanced level tests then he is doing good enough to qualify in JEE Advanced.
Now he needs to first take his performance to 60-70 per cent marks for which he will have to focus on specific weaknesses. He should properly analyze the areas where he normally lose marks.
Brijesh Wadhawan: How many hours of study in a day can get me into the IIT?
Vinay Kumar: Don't focus on hours. You need to clear your concepts and do sufficient practice so that you can score atleast 45-50 per cent marks in JEE Advanced level papers.
parinda kane: The syllabus of IIT entrance is based on only technical subjects or also GK, Current affairs etc is also a must??
Vinay Kumar: For JEE Main and Advanced Physics, Chemistry and Maths are required. Since 12th boards weightage is also there students should do well in English and the 5th subject also in 12th boards.
Lead image used for representational purposes only. Image: Eric Gaillard / Reuters
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