Most students are aware of the fact that competitive exams are the deciding factor to transition into a prestigious degree college with a course of their choice. But at the same time cracking the 12th-grade board exam is equally important, considering that the scores are going to stay with these students forever. This makes the entire year of 12th grade one of the most stressful phases of a student's life. If you are a student, balancing both the board exams and the competitive exams can be a challenging task. This is amplified by the thought of planning a decent career.
We spoke to Rajshekhar Ratrey, VP, Educational content, Toppr who gave us 5 important tips that students should keep in mind in order to ace both board exams and competitive exams.
1. Prioritize instead of balancing
While you all might be thinking of showing some leniency towards board exams, remember that these scores will be considered for your MBA or a Master's degree abroad as well. Moreover, the board exam curriculum creates the base of your competitive exam syllabus. This clearly shows that you must understand your board syllabus thoroughly in order to attain the desired rank in your competitive exam.
2. Discover the common parts and master them
Whether you are aspiring to become a biomedical engineer, metallurgist, food technician or a surgeon, entrance examinations usually have some common elements with subjects from your board exam. In this case, jot down the common topics, start with studying your board exam subjects well. Wherever these common topics appear, practice both the formats in depth. This will save a lot of time and also help you in developing a profound knowledge about these topics.
3. Create a plan
Are you preparing for the upcoming JEE Main in January 2019? Pay as much attention as possible to physics, chemistry, and mathematics. Ensure that you are studying from both perspectives - board and JEE. If possible, opt for an early date for JEE so that you have ample time to study the other subjects until your board exams.
If you are already confident about your board preparations, utilise the breaks between your board exams to continue studying for your competitive exam - like JEE and NEET exams which will be held in April and May.
Meanwhile, if you are eyeing NEET 2019, focus on physics, chemistry, and biology until one and a half month prior to your board exam. This is when you will start paying attention to the board subjects. Once your exams are over, shift back to NEET which is scheduled in early May 2019.
4. Stop rote learning and clear your concepts
Competitive exams like JEE and NEET are actually testing the candidates on their analytical, problem solving, and mathematical skills. There are very few theoretical questions asked. This clearly indicates that rote learning will be of no help in cracking them. Students also have the advantage to subscribing to eLearning apps. Here they can watch videos repeatedly until they have a thorough understanding of the concepts. Some of the apps also give students them the opportunity to clarify their doubts instantly through live chats with academic experts.
5. Solve mock tests and previous years' question papers to know where you stand
There is a common saying, "Practice makes perfect". Once your concepts are clear, it's time to get your hands on some mock tests and previous years' papers of NEET, JEE and even your board exams. This will give you a reality check on the topics that you need to emphasize on. Moreover, such tests also let you manage your time and stress well. You need to wait to complete your entire syllabus first before you start taking mock tests. Once you complete a few topics, you can start solving the questions for these topics. This will give you a fair idea about the difficulty level of the examination.
Juggling between any competitive exam and a board exam can be extremely stressful. While the list of tricks and guidelines might go on, the most crucial thing during this period is to stay calm and focused while studying instead of getting scared by the end result. So be open to pushing your limits and give these exams your best shot!
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