How to Start IIT JEE Preparation after Class 10th

How to Start IIT JEE Preparation after Class 10th

 IIT JEE preparation is a commitment that requires patience, hard work, and intelligence. They are considered among the most challenging entrance examinations for school graduates. As a result, many students start early on to increase their chances of securing admissions to the coveted IITs. 

No straightforward, universe formula is available that tells you when the right time for IIT JEE preparation is. You will find students cracking the exam in the first year of their preparation as well as students managing to qualify for the exam after a series of attempts. However, it is recommended that the preparation should begin–at least on an elementary level–after Class 10th. 

That said, multiple factors are involved in deciding whether or not to prepare for the IIT JEE after Class 10th. In this guide, I will give you an overview of what it takes to begin preparation after Class 10th.

1. You Should Have Eyes Set On The Goal 

The decision to pick up preparatory material at Class 10th requires a lot of thinking. Generally, students start the cycle from Class 11th. However, the basics taught in both Classes 10th and 12th are relevant for IIT JEE examination. 

Two years of preparation is long and can be tiresome. Should you have any doubts about your future, you should delay preparation until you are mentally ready for the endeavour. 

If you are certain that IIT JEE is what your target is, then you will have to sit down, alone or with family & mentors, and define your aspirations, target rank, choice of IIT or engineering institution in general, and how you will manage preparation for both boards and IIT JEE. 

2. Research well about IITs and other engineering institutions

It is important to elaborate on the first point on setting goals. One of the major expectations from students is to decide where they want to study and which engineering stream to choose. 

Of course, you still have time to change your options, but you must have a fair idea of what might appeal to your academic and professional appetite in the future. Thus, to achieve this, you will have to do your research.

Usually, students have an IIT/college or engineering stream in mind. Whichever is your choice, you must avoid crowd mentality. If, for instance, your cousins are interested in aerospace engineering, you need not pick just for the sake of it. Similarly, a friend of yours might have made it to IIT Delhi last year but that does not mean you should be there too. 

While doing your research, keep an eye out for the past placement records of institutions, the presence of a strong alumni network, and the administrative ecosystem. 

When it comes to streams, you must self-assess, read about the various streams available, and enquire about the career opportunities in every one of them. Options available include civil engineering, computer science, chemical engineering, and aerospace engineering. 

3. Consider switching your Board for IIT JEE preparation 

While it is not mandatory, you should consider switching your school board. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is the most preferred option, as the IIT JEE syllabus is aligned with CBSE’s. 

The CBSE prescribes the textbooks published by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). These books are foundational modules for the IIT JEE Main examination which features many questions from these books. If you are studying under the right board, your preparation can be streamlined and organized. 

Nonetheless, you don’t need to switch boards if you are comfortable with your present one. You should, however, consider enquiring with your school teachers whether and how they will allow simultaneous preparation. 

4. Choose the right IIT coaching institute.

For an orderly IIT JEE preparation, you need a good and reliable coaching institute. You will many well-reputed, result-oriented coaching institutes in Sikar–many of them are, in fact, branches of national-level coaching institutes. To name a few, there is Allen Sikar, Unacademy, and Aakash. Other notable institutes include Matrix and Gurukripya Career Institute. 

With options aplenty, the real question is how to choose the right IIT JEE coaching institute in Sikar (or outside). The most important considerations for making an informed decision about it include the track record, student feedback, infrastructure, student support services, fee structure, quality of study materials, and the qualification & experience of faculty members. 

You can find a list of top IIT JEE Coaching Institute (or how to choose the right such institute) in Sikar here, if interested.

5. Create a timetable 

Once you have figured out what your goals are, you need to get down and prepare a study schedule. 

Class 10th boards should be done by the time you join a coaching institute or begin with your IIT JEE preparation. The pressure for the Class 12th Board will gradually grow on you, which means you will have to ensure adequate distribution of time. 

In the next two years, you will have to practice your basics, attend hours of coaching classes in addition to school hours, and engage in extra-curriculars. Make sure you consult your faculty to know how to allocate time; for starters, allocate adequate hours for each subject, spend at least a few hours on practising IIT JEE mock tests and previous years’ question papers, and dedicate a reasonable number of leisure hours. 

One piece of advice: do not make a rigid schedule. Overconsumption of information without sufficient breaks and diversity can result in stagnation and weak retention. 

6. Online resources are very highly useful in IIT JEE Preparation

Post-COVID-19, the face of education has changed dramatically. Technology was used before, however, the spurt in digitalization during the pandemic has resulted in an explosion of IIT JEE study materials online, whether in the form of reading materials or online lectures.

Since you have just graduated from Class 10th, you should navigate all possible avenues of knowledge. While your coaching institute in Sikar (or outside) will be your main form of preparation, several online reading materials and online videos (from coaching institutes and independent instructors) enhance your learning experience. 

 For example, Vedantu JEE Made Ejee runs a playlist of the IIT JEE Main Mock test where the instructors practice mock tests with the JEE aspirants online. You can also check Unacademy’s website where content is replete with materials on IIT JEE core subjects. For example, JEE aspirants can read about Adjoint of Matrix on its website here. 

7. Keep yourself updated with IIT JEE developments.

One of the most important things about IIT JEE preparation is how well you understand the syllabus. It is your responsibility to know by heart everything there is about the syllabus of each subject. Unless you know these details you will not be able to streamline your goals and create a workable schedule. 

Moreover, IIT JEE Main and Advanced happen to change concerning their exam pattern, their registration rules, and other issues. While your coaching institute will keep up updated, you must keep a watch on these developments as you prepare. One way to ensure that is to visit the official IIT JEE website regularly and keep track of notifications; here is a link to the website for the JEE Main, and this one deals with JEE Advanced.