Early Starters: A Guide to JEE/NEET and Olympiad Preparation

This guide is divided into three sections:

1. Why Not to Start JEE/NEET Preparation Early

JEE/NEET exams are taken in the 12th grade, which is 3-4 years away depending on your current class. The syllabus is vast, so some students think that early preparation is beneficial. However, setting achievable goals is difficult when the endpoint is far away. You won’t know if you’re on the right track until the end goal is near.

Many students focus more on theory, thinking that it will set them apart. But what truly differentiates a JEE/NEET topper is problem-solving skills and critical thinking. Here are some common fallacies students commit:

• By-hearting theory due to lack of understanding
• Not mastering the basics (i.e., not fully perfecting the 9th and 10th-grade syllabus)
• No revision, forgetting the topic the next day

This is where Olympiads come into play. They require critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and some creativity. They require constant solving of different types of problems and revision.

2. Should You Join a Coaching Institute?

The answer is no. Coaching institutes often make you by-heart theory, prioritize JEE/NEET over the basics, and don’t emphasize revision. What you should do is self-study until 11th grade. First, make sure you are perfect at 9th and 10th grade, you can do Level 2 problems in RD Sharma with ease. Get some books like Challenge and Thrill of Pre-College Mathematics, or NCERT of 11th and 12th for PCB, depending on your interest.

3. What Olympiads Should You Prepare For?

You should be doing Government Olympiads, conducted by HBCSE. They provide you with actual tough problems that require problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, etc. Also, the certificates you get by qualifying them will help you out on your resume and you can get discounts at coaching institutes. Here are some Olympiads you should consider:

• IOQM (Indian Olympiad Qualifier for Mathematics)
• IOQP (Physics)
• IOQC (Chemistry)
• IOQB (Biology)
• IOQJS (Junior Science)
• IOQA (Astronomy)
• Indian Computing Olympiad