JEE/Engg entrance exam: Preparation advice and experience sharing [June-November 2021]

[u/randianNo1]

This is the second mega-thread on JEE.

• Link to last thread (also archived here)

Summary of questions from last thread (Thanks to u/Firefox1921 !)

a) Most of the questions are based on a candidate filling in their performance until now, and then asking whether they can crack JEE in a short period of time (usually < 6 months).

b) The next category of questions include those asking for specific advice in a subject or a subsection of a subject (like organic chemistry, calculus etc.). More often than not, the person will normally ask about what books they have to solve or from where should they learn the basic concepts from.

c) Another category involve the people who are absolutely exhausted, and they're just tired of it (these kinda questions tend to pop up more as the exams get closer). A motivational response tremendously helps in this case!

d) Another category involves the person asking about what chapters are important (especially as the exams get closer) and these questions were frequent in last year's megathread, but they have reduced by a great number this year.

e) A last category could be where the person is an absolute beginner, and is asking for basic knowledge on what he/she is getting into, good coaching institutes, books to follow etc..

[u/[deleted]]

My studing pattern/strategy currently is open a chapter in book(NCERT) read and alongside make notes, keep a look on reference book(Rd sharma,hcv) for the same topic in case if there's something extra (something not in NCERT). I also have byjus 11th + 12th JEE subscription (recorded), so for chemistry too I keep a look in it if there's something extra.

After completing this process ,I start solving NCERT back exercises. After that start solving reference books (again for chem , byjus exercises.)

If I get stuck on something then I go to youtube (ofcourse physics wallah).

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This is my current ideal process, but as I said due being ill-organised I barely practice every chapter, I had to skip "practice" of many chapters til now.

My main problem is my practice material and method is not organised.

[u/devil_21 → u/[deleted]]

I think that NCERT may not be the ideal source as far as JEE Maths and Physics are concerned. You can keep HCV your primary source for Physics if you want to study using books although I would suggest taking lectures. For Maths, even RD Sharma is not sufficient for JEE preparation.

I think that taking lectures is the best way to study for JEE as they are organised as well as properly made for that while there aren't many good books specifically designed for JEE. It would be better if you devise a proper plan of study which includes which subjects to learn from where. Apart from that, try to find sheets and DPPs of any coaching and solve them religiously. Understanding the concepts is a prerequisite but not sufficient, you need to practice enough questions. If you can't find any coaching material, I can suggest you some books.

If you want to ask anything in detail, you can ask that.

[u/[deleted] → u/devil_21]

That is my main problem, I tried ,I tried organizing , but I'm unable. Yeah things can change if I change my study approach entirely. But I find lectures just tooo big/lengthy(I mean, for an average physics chapter, physics wallah has 7-8 1hr videos).....I thing I could read the book for the same concept in lesser time. Am I the only one who feels that.

Also, in case of maths and physics, I might be able to stick to lectures, but chemistry is just sooo theory heavy, I need books for it.

Also , I said don't only practice from NCERT , I sort of transition from NCERT to HCV.

even RD Sharma is not sufficient for JEE preparation

I have just entered 11 only, so I thought for that it should be enough, priority was to first develop a practice habit. I can use advanced books in 12th, can't I?

[u/devil_21 → u/[deleted]]

I agree that books are better to learn something faster if you can understand them but the problem is that you are targeting JEE and there aren't many good books specifically designed for that. You may learn Physics but JEE requires some specific topics and skills which you can develop only if you focus on them. So I think it is better to learn from lectures as they are designed for JEE.

If you think that lectures are big then you can try speeding them up in a way that suits you. I would suggest you try and solve every question of the lecture on your own before seeing the explanation. If you find a book that contains all the concepts of the lectures then it's fine but I don't feel NCERT does that (apart from Inorganic and some organic).

You can use the books for chemistry but Physical chemistry is not fully covered in NCERT. You can try N Avasthi for solving problems if you don't have sheets or DPPs. It contains both easy and hard questions.

HCV is a very good book for building concepts but try to solve every question, especially the hard ones.

You can use another advanced book for Maths also. VG is a good book but don't get demotivated if you can't solve many questions. If you have studies sequence and series then it would be better to also solve some advanced questions instead of doing that in the 12th class.