JEE Main 2025: How previous aspirants spent their last few days?

PUBLISH DATE 13th January 2025

As the JEE Main exam looms around the corner, students across the country find themselves in a high-pressure situation, juggling their preparation for one of the most competitive entrance exams while simultaneously tackling their board exam syllabus. The last few days leading up to these crucial exams are a defining period, marked by intense study schedules, disciplined time management, and occasional bouts of anxiety.

Real-life experiences from past aspirants offer invaluable insights into navigating this challenging phase.

For Sumanta Pathak, a second-year BTech student from Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), the last month was a whirlwind of revision and practice. “I divided my day into two parts,” he recalls. “Mornings were dedicated to board exam subjects like English and computer science, while evenings were reserved for JEE Main practice sessions.”

Sumanta prioritised solving past year’s JEE Main questions during his preparation time and focused on writing practice for the board exams to improve his presentation skills.

Similarly, Rahul Verma from Jaipur, who is in one of the National Institutes of Technology (NIT) found himself grappling with the overlap between the JEE syllabus and his board exams. “Physics and math were common for both, so I made sure to master those topics first,” he explains. “However, subjects like computer science and biology required separate attention for the boards.” Rahul found it helpful to allocate one day a week exclusively to board preparation to ensure he didn’t fall behind.

However, NIT Silchar student Zubair had put his board exam preparation as secondary. “I had put boards completely secondary. After I appeared for the first session of JEE Main in January in 2022, I was very much in the momentum of studying for the second attempt. But the boards were in between which frustrated me because for that I had to stop focusing on my JEE preparation. It indeed broke my momentum. But before the first attempt, I mainly focused on JEE.”

For JEE Main, he recalls, at least there was a misconception that it was quite a hard exam. “So back then I didn’t know what to do, how to prepare in these last few days, but luckily my exam date was on the last day. Therefore, I was able to analyse the question papers and once I did I got many insights and found this exam to be doable.”

“Another thing I got to know was that I was focusing on specific topics in depth which was a very JEE Advanced oriented approach while for JEE Main, you need to cover the basics of each topic, at least know the formulae. I went through every chapter I had skipped and just got my basics done,” he added.

He spent his day by doing mock test in the morning, analysis in the afternoon, then that day’s paper analysis and the night was spent on revision and short-notes making.

Common mistakes and lessons learned

Despite their meticulous planning, many students make mistakes during this critical period. One frequent error is neglecting the board exam syllabus in favour of JEE preparation. Priya Nair from Hyderabad, who appeared for JEE Main last year, shares her experience. “I focused so much on JEE that I underperformed in my board exams,” she admits saying that, “In hindsight, balancing both would have been a better strategy.”

Another common pitfall is excessive reliance on solving new problems instead of revising already-covered topics.

Procrastination is another trap many students fall into. Some postpone subjects they find difficult, leading to last-minute panic. Kaustabh Talukdar, who cracked JEE Main in 2022 and appeared for JEE Advanced, advises against this. “The last month is not the time to start new topics. It’s about reinforcing what you already know.”

The NIT Silchar student further says: “Board exams and JEE preparation might differ in approach, but they are closely connected. Boards can be seen as a stepping stone — strong performance here often reflects solid foundational understanding, which is crucial for JEE. While exceptions exist, where students excel in JEE but not boards due to expression issues, diligent JEE preparation generally ensures success in board exams too.”

Tips for Current Aspirants

Based on the experiences of past students, here are some strategies to make the most of the final month:

Create a Realistic Timetable: Allocate specific time slots for board and JEE preparation. Stick to your schedule to ensure you cover both syllabi effectively.
Leverage Overlap: Focus on overlapping subjects like Physics, Chemistry, and Math. Strong preparation in these areas will benefit both exams.
Take Mock Tests: Regularly attempt mock tests for JEE and practice writing answers for board exams. This will help you manage time better and reduce exam-day anxiety.
Revise, Don’t Cram: Prioritise revision over learning new topics. Make concise notes for quick reference and focus on key concepts and formulas.
Practice Writing: For board exams, practice writing long-form answers to improve speed and clarity. Pay attention to neatness and presentation.
Stay Healthy: Don’t compromise on sleep, nutrition, or physical activity. A well-rested mind performs better under pressure.

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