Its Diwali time- take stock of your IIT JEE preparations

IIT JEE preparations have been going on well for all of you. You must have taken up quite a few mock tests by now and would have been aware about your moorings. Diwali has given you the right break to gauge and course correct your plans. You still have about six months to go before you will be facing one of the gruelling tests of our life that is IIT JEE entrance examinations. These six months are invaluable period for all of you. You will have to strike a right balance between your board and IIT JEE preparations. This six months period if utilized properly can make your life. Those of you who are in 11th standard, you also must not relax and continue to plan your hours judiciously. This phase which you 11th std students are having at this point of time and the ensuing summer break if utilized properly can put you right ahead in the competitive arena.

Step by step approcah to problem solving

Students of our generations are hard pressed for time. They have so many distractions today so that it becomes very difficult for them to concentrate on their studies. IIT JEE examination does not demand memorizing everything. Rather IIT JEE demands understanding of the topics. Our experience has shown that by mugging up and memorizing everything students will not be able to crack IIT JEE. Rather student should give time to each topic and relentlessly go about the same unless he or she gets full hold over the topic.

For this, a proper approach to problem solving is mandated. There are many ways in which one go about problem solving. But best approach is to go step by step. This may even take more time initially but this is the only way to bring about smooth organized flow of thoughts and clarity of concepts in to student's mind. As one progresses through step by step approach, student can himself notice how thoughts smoothly get regulated and comes nicely on a sheet of paper. Every student can achive this symphony with proper tuning and training of the mind. We will continue with our series.

IIT JEE 2009 Recommended books

Preparation for IIT JEE begins in right earnest when a student finishes his 10th standard examinations. The ensuing holidays provides perfect opportunities to all wannabes to utilize their vacations to the extent possible. Students who are aspiring to be top rankers in IIT JEE are required to have very focused approach. The guidance from too many sources and hankering after too many books, guides and many such question series handbook comes in the way of having focused and well directed approach. Though there exists many good text and reference books but it is always recommended to have one master book and one book for the problems. This not only helps students to make well directed effort but also results in saving of lots of time and resources. To help students we have listed some of the good text and reference books which can be relied upon.

Mathematics:
Algebra: Hall and Knight
Trigonometry: S L Loni
Calculus: 1) Thomas 2) Gorakhprasad
All other topics: R S Agarwal

Chemistry:
Physical Chemistry: Atkins
Organic Chemistry: Bahal and Bahal/Morrison and Boyd
All other topics: NCERT

Physics:
All topics: R S Verma/ ResnicK and Halliday/Feynman series
For problems: I E Irodov

All these books need to be supported by a well regulated correspondence course which should have well defined milestones for course module completion.

IIT JEE 2009 preparations

So guys now your autumn break must be over. During this period you must have also taken some IIT JEE mock tests. Various coaching institutes will take some time before they finalize your standings. The results will show you where you stand. Trends over the years generally typify not so encouraging performances in these types of examinations during autumn breaks. While this year’s IIT JEE may not come up with some real soul stirring stuffs as is being debated and perceived by almost all academicians who are strongly or remotely connected with IIT JEE. But in the years to come, aspiring students may see the pattern of IIT JEE drastically changing and evolving to draw out raw talents from the maddening crowd of students.
All reputed coaching and training institutes have perfected the art of training and retraining students so that only programmed minds are entering in to IITs. Some raw talents are missing out. That is the precise reason that very soon you can find these coaching institutes losing their positions. But as the things stand today, barring some exceptional minds, nobody can think of bagging a good rank at IIT JEE without going through the grinding regimen of coaching classes.

IIT JEE 2009 preparations

The top 100 rankers at IIT have something in them which the other successful IITians don’t have. What makes them so special? The answer is quite straight forward. These 100 top rankers are in a position to solve the problems correctly. But again the next question comes up. What makes these prospective top IITians solve their problems correctly? This is where the journey of an analyst begins. The most important thing which a top ranker does is laying equal emphasis on all three subjects. Second important point here is laying of equal emphasis on all sub topics in each subject. This is the point where normally all students throw their brains and common sense in to bins. This is the most common mistake and this is the most important fact which should be realized by all wannabes. IIT JEE expects you to lay equal emphasis on all the topics which have been mentioned in the syllabus. The trends seen over the years may not lead you anywhere if one starts and ends his preparations based on that.
Therefore, whenever you are preparing for the examinations, pay equal attention on all sub topics. The third important point is to finish off your corresponding syllabus before you take up any mock test. Don’t take tests if you are not through with your preparations. IIT JEE 2009 or for that matter all examinations of the coming years will have the more of less the same syllabus, unless basic principles of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics change.

How to get good rank at IIT JEE 2009

Every student cherishes a All India Rank at IIT JEE within top 100. But only 100 students make it. What makes them different from the ones who are not in a position to score well? We have analyzed and made some interesting observations which may be of help to budding IITians. Our in depth analysis illustrates that the most important factor which contributes to a good all India rank is equal emphasis on all sub topics. Today, we will illustrate our analysis with focuson Physics.

Þ Electrostatics, Current and electromagnetism are the topics which are normally considered quite dry by all the students. But important thing to remember here is that these two topics contribute about 13-14% each to the IIT JEE question papers every year. The exact percentages may vary but the trend has more or less been like that.
Þ Optics is another topic which is not given due respect by budding IIT JEE students. But the averages over the years have shown that this topic contribute about 13-14 % as well. If a student has mastered this sub topic well then one can be confident of scoring well in this segment.
Þ Mechanics has always been darling of all students aspiring for a good All India Rank. But its share in the IIT JEE question paper hovers around 20%. So even if you have mastered mechanics, you can only be confident of scoring about 20% marks.
Þ Thermal and Modern Physics each of the sub topics have been contributing about 10% of the total problems in IIT JEE.
So our advice is to divide your time equally on all the sub topics and don’t let yourself get fixated on Mechanics alone. Divide your study time equally amongst all sub topics to get the maximum benefits. And once you get a rank within top 100, don’t forget to drop me a mail.

IIT JEE 2009 preparations

Are you utilizing your vacations to the hilt? These 7-10 days of Durga Puja vacations which you are having at your disposal right now should not be wasted. Try getting up early and spending some time with yourself. Take stock of your preparations. If you have not been scoring well in mock tests then this is the time to hit the accelerator. Try spending majority of time on topics which you are not comfortable with. Don’t despair. You still have about 5-6 months before you take your plus 2 examinations and about 7 months before you take IIT JEE 2009. You can still make it to the IITs. But day dreaming will not help only hard work will.
Divide the left out time period in to smaller segments. Figure out those topics in which you are not comfortable. Pay attention on these topics.

IIT JEE 2009 preparations

We shall discuss today about importance of solved examples. Normally students in their anxiety to get to the problems they skip going through the theory part and just whiz past the solved examples. It is only when they find the problems given in assignment hard to get across that they come back to the theory and start looking at the problems with fresh perspectives. I have seen majority of students attempting assignment’s unsolved problems without understanding the basics. Here important point is to go through the theory in great detail. If one is not sure of the fundamentals just don’t start going through the solved examples. Solved examples help a student by enhancing the understanding of the subject. If one is not thorough with the subject then one should stop get to the bottom of the topic and then go through the solved examples. You will be surprised to find out after doing this, how fast you have been able to go through the unsolved assignments. Happy mugging……

IIT JEE preparations

Mathematics syllabus has many topics which are generally left out by students considering the fact that they will be able to compensate with others where they are more proficient.. But an aspiring IIT student who dreams of securing a within 100 all India rank would not leave any topic. If you are leaving one topic, it means that they are limiting your chances of securing well in that part of syllabus. One important rule of making it to IITs is that don’t leave any topic. Matrices & Locus problems are as important as Differential calculus. In fact so these topics can decide whether you will be able to get a good rank or not. So don’t leave out any topic. Even though probability and analytical geometry may not excite you as differential calculus or trigonometry does but they all have equal weights. Remember the golden rule. “Your getting a good rank in IITs would depend upon these non glorified topics only.”