With less than 4 weeks left for the JEE Main 2020 January session, the biggest worry that troubles most students is whether to prepare for the board exams or the JEE.
Although, students do have the option of attempting JEE Main 2020 in April as well but, managing board exams and JEE together is always a challenge.
You must have come across a few students who do well in one of the exams but fail to maintain the same performance in the other. A lot of students tend to minimise the risk by putting the preparation of either exam on the backburner.
However, the best strategy taken by great performers involves complementing both aspects of preparation with each other. The idea of preparing effectively for both does not seem possible to many, but it has been proven time and again by many successful students who passed JEE with a good score.
So, here is what you need to do to excel in both exams without compromising on either of them:
- Concepts Clarity: You have to make sure that you build concepts from the very beginning phase i.e. when the concept is being taught in the class or during self-study. Having a clarity of concepts would aid both the aspects of preparation. If your concepts are not strong enough, it is recommended to stick to board preparations just because of the possibility of scoring easy marks.
However, if you already have a good conceptual clarity of the subjects and topics, you should make sure to devote some time to videos and diagrams for better concept clarity. Many such resources are available free over the internet or even in the books. - Combined Study: A very easy approach for acing both the JEE and board preparation together is to study the concept thoroughly and then extend the board exam practice with JEE specific question practice. However, this pattern of studying requires high concentration and dedication, but this method can be really effective in preparing for both exams simultaneously.
- Scheduled Rehearsal: A scheduled rehearsal is important for both the exams. During the last few weeks of board exams, you should only attempt board sample papers dedicatedly. This will help you to to build the temperament required especially for the board exam, which is of utmost importance. For JEE preparation, mock tests and previous years’ papers should be your priority during the last few weeks. Sample papers and mock tests aid a lot during the crunch time.
- Taking advantage of the intermittent holidays: As board exams have 3-4 preparation leaves between each exam, students can best utilise the interval between their exams by especially studying the easier subjects. You can make use of this by attempting a few sample JEE papers.
- Keeping track through systematic study: Now, since it is a demanding and challenging task to crack both the exams together, you need to be highly organised and systematic in approach. You can maintain simple mind-maps, rough charts, flashcards etc., for quick revision.
In a concluding note, the most important thing that you can do for balancing exam JEE and board preparation taking mock tests regularly. Apart from that, don’t allow stress to overpower you and never take decisions during panic situations. Remaining patient and practicing is the key to maintain the balance between both exams.
Also, maintaining a log of concepts/chapters studied, scores obtained in various mock tests, and topics that need to be revised later, etc. is highly critical. It helps you quickly and easily recall what you have covered and to what extent.
We hope these tips would help you in managing both exams and excelling in both as well. All the best!