To be successful, you have to use each day as an opportunity to improve, to be better, to get one step closer to your goals. Rachit Dhar, a student at Aakash IIT-JEE, secured AIR 4329 in JEE (Advanced) 2020. Rachit believes that Aakash changed his life and helped him realize his dream of studying in an IIT. Let’s read further to find out more about Rachit’s journey from an Aakashian to an IITian.
Hi, I am Rachit Dhar from New Delhi. I prepared for JEE (Main & Advanced) at Aakash IIT-JEE, Vasant Kunj, and secured AIR 4329 in JEE Advanced 2020.
I have always been very curious to understand how and why things happen the way they do in the world, and so it was perhaps only natural that I was always a bit inclined towards enjoying Science and Mathematics. In order to pursue my interests, I decided to take coaching for JEE (Main & Advanced) in 11th standard. Initially, I was confused regarding which coaching institute would be a better choice. But after carefully considering my options I decided for Aakash IIT-JEE. At first, I was slightly confused about Aakash, as it is popular for Medical – NEET exam preparation. But soon I learnt that it also provides quality coaching for engineering entrance exams such as JEE (Main & Advanced) and also other state CETs. Needless to say, it was definitely the best decision I made.
During the initial few days itself, I realized how amazing the faculty at my coaching centre was. I was very excited to learn all the wonderful new concepts in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, and the teachers taught us with the same zest and passion. The teachers were truly knowledgeable in their subjects. They were very supportive and helped us beyond the classroom. We could reach out to them personally at any time for doubts, whether conceptual or question related and they always helped us. Our teachers were strict and particular at times, but at other times they were friendly and cheerful, and we did have some really fun conversations. Even the management at my coaching centre was good and involved in students’ academic journeys. The director at our centre regularly kept track of our progress, and would often interact with us to see how well our preparations were going. He motivated us to do better and along with our teachers helped us to a great extent, much more than we could ask for!
The two years of coaching at Aakash IIT-JEE was a unique experience. It was certainly very tiring and hectic with the school in the morning and coaching classes in the evening, but it was all worth it in the end.
We had various kinds of tests of different difficulty levels. Our study material was very well designed and comprehensive with a good balance of theory as well as extensive exercises for practice. Apart from the study material, there were additional study books, consisting of questions based on JEE Main and Advanced examination pattern to help us focus and amplify our preparation, especially towards the end.
In the last six months before the exam, I studied extremely hard. I utilized this time to strengthen my preparation. Along with theory revision and question practice, we also had scheduled online tests to help us track our progress and evaluate our preparation level. Even during the lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic, our preparation never stopped. Our teachers at Aakash were very determined and did everything possible to ensure that we continue to prepare even in these troubled times. We had regular online classes and doubt sessions. We had frequent online tests,almost every alternate day, and sometimes even daily. As the exam approached, there were times when I even gave two tests every day. I secured AIR 4329 with 153 marks out of 398. I was pleased with my score as I would now be able to pursue my dream of studying in an IIT.
From what my experience has been over these 2-3 years, I feel that good practice and right approach towards solving the paper are significant deciding factors in JEE examination. It is very important to know the theory well because, without clarity of concepts, it’s not possible to solve questions. But after learning theory, it is vital to practice a lot. Having a good paper solving strategy and the right approach makes a huge difference to both confidence and results. For this one must solve as many mock papers as possible, analyse the mistakes and improve on them.
A fact-check on some notions that students have:
-
Physics is difficult and scoring 100% is not possible.
Physics is not necessarily difficult. It becomes difficult if your concepts are not clear, and if you have not practiced well using the right approach required to solve physics problems. In fact, in the JEE Advanced exam, I secured the highest marks in Physics. Getting 100% in Physics maybe difficult, but not an impossible feat to achieve. You need to work extremely hard and with a lot of dedication.
-
You should revise theory till the last minute.
No, you should not revise theory till the last minute before the exam. In fact, on the last day before the exam, you should preferably not do any revision or anything that stresses you out. Just relax and give your mind a break. Indulge in some meditation, eat your favorite dish, and get a good sleep of at least 8-10 hours.
-
Tests are the best way of revision.
Yes, tests are indeed the best way to revise and prepare for the exam. They give you a very good idea of not only how well you are performing, but also about the areas you are lacking in. Solving more and more number of tests boosts your confidence and enhances your speed and accuracy.
-
If I focus on entrance exam preparation, my board exam preparation will be affected.
Not true. You can easily do very well in boards as the syllabus for boards and JEE is same for PCM subjects. In fact, the pre-boards held by schools can also be utilized for extra preparation. Moreover, board exams are completely based on the NCERT syllabus. Good knowledge of the NCERT textbooks can help you ace your boards.
-
NCERT is important only for Medical – NEET and not for Engineering – JEE preparation.
No. NCERT is extremely important for Chemistry, especially for Inorganic and Organic Chemistry. Usually, most of the questions from Inorganic Chemistry in JEE are based on the NCERT syllabus. Even some of the theory-based chapters and concepts of Physics (such as Semiconductors, Communication systems, etc.) are based on NCERT.
-
Competitive exam preparation is a selfish journey and one should not help others as they might benefit from it.
Not true at all. I often helped many of my coaching friends with their doubts, and they helped me too. Helping your peer group is good and helpful for you as well. It helps to strengthen your knowledge and you may discover new doubts that you were previously not aware of.
-
One year is not sufficient for preparation of entrance exams.
Studying for two years is always desirable, but that does not mean that studying with just a year left isn’t manageable. All you need is a focused preparation plan, disciplined learning environment and a good mentor. Aakash mentored me and guided me throughout my 2-year journey. With the right guidance, you too can prepare well and achieve your goal.
Authored By: Rachit Dhar
