IIT JEE can be a hard nut to crack without adequate determination on your part and without proper guidance. Many people start preparing for IIT JEE right from standard 8th. After years of hard work and after going through the juggernaut of piles of tough questions, the final result boils down simply to what you do in those 6 hours. How you take on those questions and face them turns out to be the litmus test of your mettle. So here are 6 tips that could make you the star of this ultimate showdown and overcome the busting exam centre stress:
Exam Centre Stress:
1) The D-MONth:
Your exam actually starts weeks before the final day. You have to adjust and fix your sleep schedule according to the test hours! Many of the aspirants stay up late at night and as a result feel very drowsy during the mornings. Set your lamps aside in the last month before exam, you’ve burnt enough of the midnight oil – its time now to relax a little bit and sleep early. By all means practice as hard as you can during the day. Those 6 hour mock exam sessions can help you a lot to get you in the correct frame of mind. It’s also advisable to leave unhealthy eating habits in that last month, because you don’t want to fall sick just before the exams. This would also help you a lot to overcome the exam centre stress in the D-day.
2) The day before:
This is the day before the D-day – your mind is full of anxiety and you cant sleep! That one topic you don’t know well enough is hurting you and the million other topics you’ve mastered can’t convince you that you’re in good shape. Believe me, one tiny little topic isn’t going to make any difference in your rank. Don’t torture yourself by beating this one topic into your head on the last day! One small thought and exam centre stress will surround you from all around. Remind yourself that you have studied so much for this exam all these years that one day is almost negligible. So, calm down, listen to some soothing music, talk to your loved ones, or do whatever usually helps you calm your nerves. The point is to ease out the pressure. Have a sumptuous meal and a good night’s sleep. And hey, if you aren’t able to fall asleep because of anxiety, don’t force yourself. Just lie down and relax!
3) Get your guns ready in advance:
It helps to be aware of the task in front you. So plan well for the exam ahead of time and avoid exam centre stress. Make yourself a plan as to what you are going to attempt and in which order. IIT JEE can be notoriously tricky if you’re laid back about the manner of attempting, even if you know your stuff! Get all your weapons ready the night before – the hall tickets, the stationary, a water bottle or some refreshments, if you might need any. Reach the venue at least an hour earlier – this buffer period will help in sorting out issues at the centre, if any. If you require any help. don’t hesitate to ask the invigilator – they are there for your sake. Keep yourself hydrated during the period of exam it really boosts up performance and keeps your mind steady. I also recommend taking along some toffees or an energy bar for a quick dose of sugar if you feel tired. But don’t overdose on sugar, as it brings down performance. So handle your weapons smartly!
4) The art of Skipping:
A very good method to attempt the exam is to start with the subject of your choice, solve all the questions you know in any order, circle and LEAVE the other questions for the time being. Next, head on to any other subjects that you’re comfortable with, and then repeat the process. In this way, you can assure the minimum marks that you absolutely must have scored anyway. Now revisit the first subject you had attempted and try out the questions which now strike to you and leave the difficult ones. This method should work out nicely for you with a little practice and you will not have wasted your time doing hard questions!
Remember, whether a question is hard or easy, you get the same marks for solving them. In the IIT JEE your primary goal is to score marks, not prove your understanding of difficult topics. So giving yourself an ego massage by solving difficult questions when you could have creamed easier ones quickly is not recommended.
5) Silly Mistakes make A difference:
Do you know what the differentiating quality is among the top 50 rank holders in JEE? While their intelligence quotient might be the same, it is the amount of care that they take in avoiding silly mistakes that differentiates the elite from the others!
This can’t be emphasized enough! Silly mistakes are what decide your future, and they are the crucial difference between victory and loss. Always remember that efficiency is more important than speed.
6) What you absolutely must avoid:
After ensuring all these things, some students make the biggest guffaw of marking the wrong option in the OMR sheets! In their nervousness, anxiety, or plain carelessness, they may fill in the wrong bubble! Exam centre stress can lead students to fill in the answers to multiple questions at once. Again, there is no need to take such risks – you get only one answer sheet and since you’re using pen to mark, a small error can be costly. But what if you find that you have marked something wrong during the exam? Do not double mark or cut anything out. What is done is done! Focus on how well you can do the rest of your paper.
Most importantly: Don’t forget to treat yourself that night and go to bed smug with the thought that you’ve done all you could!
You can also read about what you should do in the last few days before JEE Advanced. We wish you all the Best!
