Amit Bansal National FIITJEE NCRP
India 27 September 2016: Studying at IIT is the dream of most of the students. There are several IITians in the recent history who have made India proud both on National as well as International front. Joining the top institution of India is a prestigious feeling for students. A large number of Students join various coaching classes to achieve their aim and most of them prove themselves successful because of the organised and scientifically designed curriculum of these Institutes. But not everyone can join a coaching institute to get them through the hurdle – JEE. The reason could be the location, inability to qualify the entrance exam of some premier institutions or the financial reasons. So, here’s good news for aspirants who are deprived from such opportunities - Distance Education. There are several myths in the minds of students when they are told about the distance education system. Some of them can be: -
· How will I be able to understand the huge study material supplied by the Institute?
· How should I study so that I can cover the entire syllabus in time?
· How can I clear my doubts?
· How can I judge my performance among the several Lakhs of JEE applicants?
· How my studies can be nurtured and supported?
There are some astonishing facts about JEE Exam: -
· Over 56% of students who qualified in JEE Advanced, 2016 did not study in any of the coaching institutes. This includes some of the rankers in Top 50 and Top 100 Ranks too.
· More than 87% of the qualifiers of JEE Advanced, 2016 are from Lower or Lower Middle class families where the annual income of the parents is less than 5 Lakh per annum.
· Over 50% of the successful candidates are from Rural or Semi-urban areas where there is no presence of a premier coaching institute.
So, the question arises as to how one can achieve success in JEE through a Distance Learning Program and how can it help?
Here are some expert tips on how one can crack JEE (Main) without coaching classes:
Tip #1: Get relevant study material
Choosing the correct correspondence course is the first step towards success. Collecting relevant study material, expert guide books, JEE study packages, previous years’ question papers with solution, etc., should top the priority list of every student. A good and easy to understand study material is a must to help students strengthen their concepts of study.
A hybrid system of distance learning is also provided by some leading institutes where the student gets an exposure to not only the study material but also to the test series, Online test series, Concept based teaching methodology, doubt clearing support as well as periodic face to face interaction with the faculty to analyse the potential and add some elements of Classroom programs in the preparation.
Tip # 2: Stick to Your Time Table
Managing time is the most important aspect in preparation. Students must stay disciplined and follow the time table sincerely to achieve their dreams. They should follow a weekly time-table and devote at least 30 Hours a week for serious JEE preparation, in addition to their regular academics. Things to keep in mind while making a time table:
· Every subject must be paid due attention and a fixed time should be allocated to each subject. This time may vary from subject to subject and week to week depending upon the understanding and progress of the student.
· The time-table should be divided into two aspects, first to understand the concepts and second to solve the questions based upon these concepts. Studying and understanding the concept is a must for success as most of the questions that appear in JEE (Main) don’t follow a pattern. The student who has his concepts clear is more likely to qualify JEE Main without much difficulty.
· Target-based study must be followed wherein a student must decide the number of concepts to be covered weekly.
· Some additional time must be devoted for online study. At times, surfing about various topics can help students understand the concepts better.
· Extra hours on a daily basis must be allocated to the subjects where difficulty levels are higher.
· Lastly, some time on a daily basis to be allocated for self-analysis and corrections.
Tip # 3: Group Study
Serious students should make a group of friends who are as serious as they are for JEE Preparation. A topic of discussion must be decided and serious discussion on the same should be followed on a daily basis. Analysis of each other’s preparations and suggestions for improvement must be exchanged.
Tip # 4: Summarize each topic in the form of hand written notes
Creating self-written notes helps one to memorize the formulae, tips and trick and are very helpful during JEE preparation. Students must make drawings, caricatures, short cuts, figures or anything which can help them remember the topic better.
Tip # 5: Evaluate yourself to reinforce Your Weak Areas
A good distance learning program offers students a test series where they can experience the JEE in real-time. Moreover, these institutes provide an in-depth subject wise, concept wise and question wise analysis of the exam which can be of great benefit. Performance Analyses and strengthening of weaker concepts must be done as neglecting them can be the biggest mistake. Hard work is the answer to solve the problems strategically and methodically.
Some of the leading education providers like FIITJEE and myPAT offer a unique online portal as well as a mobile application wherein students can evaluate their overall performance in the All India tests. The performance analysis is based on several parameters, including comparative analysis as well as progressive analysis of all past examinations which helps students plan their path of preparation accordingly.
Tip # 6: Stay connected with JEE Experts
There are some institutes which also provide result analysis and doubt clearing sessions for their distance learning students on a monthly basis. Usually, this is done for one or two days per month at their study centres. This practice is really helpful to students as they get to interact with the faculty face to face and resolve their queries then and there itself. They also get an exposure of being a classroom student.
Tip # 7: Enrich yourself with positivity
“Never say die” should be the attitude. Fill yourself with positive energy, time to time. Believe in yourself, work hard and stay focussed.
Tip # 8: Eat well, Sleep Well and relax yourself
Taking out some time to relax prepares the brain to recollect the things learnt. Never overburden yourself and give some time to the brain to get on track. Spending time with your family and friends can keep the burden out. Take adequate amount of fluids, Proteins and balanced diet. An 8 Hours Sleep daily is a must for anybody seriously preparing for JEE Exam. Similarly, one should get indulged in recreational activities for about 2 hours daily. It helps relax your mind. Meditation can be a way of relaxing yourself.
The Writer is National Head FIITJEE NCRP