Summary: Innumerable students prepare for IIT-JEE each year but

only a few manage to get through. Do they succeed because they study
for the maximum number of hours or because they study with a well –
planned strategy in place? IIT –JEE preparation does not mean that you
put your social life on the back-burner. Balancing all aspects of your life
is critical to success in JEE. To be a leader…you need to be an all-
rounder first.

IIT-JEE Preparation: Study Long Study Wrong

The above phrase quite rightly summarizes the quandary innumerable

students all across India find themselves in while preparing for IIT-
JEE/AIEEE examinations. Most students who embark on IIT-JEE
preparation often ask themselves the question: how long should I study
for IIT-JEE each day. And the cliché response they get each time is: the
more the better. However in reality, if you need to keep in mind that only
those students succeed who manage to balance all aspects of their life
together.

Before I delve deeper into the debate on the number of hours to be put
for IIT-JEE preparation, let me give you a brief overview of the exam
first. ‘IIT-JEE’ refers to the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) conducted
by all the seven IITs and a few affiliated institutions like MERI(Marine
Engineering Research Institute) that consider JEE scores for
admission. The Exam itself is a two step process: Prelims & Mains with a
gap of few weeks in between. The prelims basically comprise of a three
hour screening test in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics that is used
to screen out students who would not be able to undergo the rigorous
demands of an Engineering Course. Those who manage to clear the
prelims become eligible for the main exam that consists of three papers
one each in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Nearly 4000 students
are selected each year for admissions to the prestigious Indian Institutes
of Technology and by the time these students complete their course, they
often have multiple job offers in their kitty.

Those who observe the IIT-JEE test preparation market in India quite
closely would tell you that half of the students usually give-up on their
IIT-JEE preparations mid-way as they only rely on written materials
and books for their preparation. Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics
are subjects that appear as dry and pedantic to a large section of the
students and certain complex concepts appear incomprehensible at
times. I personally have seen many students quit the science stream
altogether as they are unable to sustain their interest in the science
subjects. But the scenario has changed for the better. Some institutes
have solved this problem by offering subject –wise DVDs that explain
each chapter in detail through 3D animations, real life illustrations and
laboratory demonstrations that prove immensely useful for IIT-JEE
preparation.

These moving videos leave an indelible impact on the minds of students

and they help students remember the finer aspects of a concept for life
through these DVDs. If you feel the need for more personalized guidance
for IIT-JEE then these DVDs would surely help you and there is no harm
in trying them out since you have already spent a lot of money on
availing expensive training from a coaching institute. Who knows, these
DVDs may prove to be your visa to IIT.

About The Author: The author is a management graduate and writes

extensively on the test-preparation industry and can be reached at
kirti@kaysonseducation.co.in