Don’t ignore Class 11 syllabus for Paper 1

JEE (Main) is the first hurdle that you need to cross in order to secure a seat in a top engineering college. The first paper gives equal weightage to Class 11-12 level physics, chemistry and mathematics.

JEE (Main) is the first hurdle that you need to cross in order to secure a seat in a top engineering college. The first paper gives equal weightage to Class 11-12 level physics, chemistry and mathematics.

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Though the syllabus is similar to what you learn in school, what makes it different is that it is purely in MCQ format and there is negative marking for wrong answers.

The emphasis will be more on application of concepts and numericals rather than definitions.

You should revise concepts of all the chapters of Class 11. Due to pressure of Board exams, students tend to neglect the Class 11 syllabus. You should take at least two mock tests, simulating them as much as possible with the actual test conditions. However, it’s also important to analyse the result of the test and then plan the last few days of preparation.

Sometimes, the reason for a low score is not just lack of knowledge, but also more wrong answers, poor time management or selection of questions. Make sure that you refrain from wild guesses and don’t spend too much time on one question if you find it difficult to crack.

In mathematics, chapters like calculus, permutation and combination and algebra need special attention since they involve a fair amount of logical sense along with concept clarity. In physics, chapters like mechanics, electricity, SHM etc are high on applications and need a lot of practice. In chemistry, both organic and inorganic chemistry are of equal importance, try to devote equal time to both. Having said this, such competitive exams are known for unpredictability. Thus, a wise suggestion is that don’t dump any topic or chapter unless you are completely unfamiliar with the matter.

Last but not the least, don’t waste much time on derivation of theory or learning definitions in the last few days. Don’t worry much about skipping certain steps while arriving at the correct answer if you feel that can save time. Remember, unlike the Board exams, it’s the correct answer only that matters and not the steps.

(The author is chief knowledge officer of HT Studymate, a reputable chain of tuition centres from the house of Hindustan Times which provides quality education to students from Classs 9 to Class 12)