Common mistakes you should avoid in JEE Main 2025 exam

Common mistakes you should avoid in JEE Main 2025 exam

Samridhi MishraUpdated on 25 Aug 2025, 11:05 AM IST

Common mistakes you should avoid in JEE Main 2026 exam -

Common mistakes you should avoid in JEE Main 2025 exam
Common mistakes you should avoid in JEE Main 2025 exam

Aspirants preparing for JEE Advanced 2026, a critical step toward securing admission to B.Tech programs at IITs, must navigate its high-stakes and competitive nature with precision. Unlike JEE Main, JEE Advanced demands deeper conceptual understanding and analytical skills, making it essential to avoid common errors that can derail performance. Despite rigorous preparation with past papers and mock tests, candidates often falter due to nervousness or oversight, impacting their scores.

We, in collaboration with experts, have developed a streamlined guide to help candidates sidestep these pitfalls during JEE Advanced 2026 preparation and exam day. By addressing mistakes like poor time management, neglecting syllabus depth, or succumbing to stress, this guide offers practical strategies to enhance preparation efficiency. With a focus on targeted practice, error analysis, and maintaining composure, candidates can optimize their performance for both JEE Main and JEE Advanced. The exam is said to be tentatively taking place in May or June 2026.

Also read: Best Books for JEE Advanced 2025

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Appearing for JEE Advanced 2026

  1. Guessing Answers: Candidates often guess or select options closest to their calculations to save time, but JEE Advanced’s negative marking scheme penalizes such guesses, significantly reducing the final score and impacting rank.

  2. Not Solving Questions on Paper: Attempting to solve complex problems mentally or partially without paper calculations frequently leads to errors, resulting in negative marks, especially in numerical or multi-step questions.

  3. Misreading Questions: Rushing through questions causes candidates to overlook critical details like units or keywords, leading to incorrect answers despite understanding the underlying concepts.

  4. Wasting Time on Difficult Questions: Spending excessive time (e.g., 5–6 minutes) on a single tough question reduces time for solvable ones, disrupting the exam strategy and lowering overall performance.

  5. Experimenting with Unknown Questions: Attempting unfamiliar questions instead of focusing on known or solvable ones wastes valuable time and risks negative marks, derailing a well-planned exam approach.
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Also read: JEE Advanced Exam Criteria

Common Mistakes to Avoid During JEE Advanced 2026 Preparation


  1. Neglecting the Full Syllabus: Focusing only on high-weightage or favorite topics like Mechanics or Calculus while ignoring areas like Thermal Physics or Inorganic Chemistry leaves gaps in preparation, risking unexpected questions in the exam.

  2. Overloading with Study Resources: Using too many books or online materials simultaneously causes confusion, incomplete coverage, and inefficiency, diluting focus and overwhelming the preparation process.

  3. Inadequate Practice with Past Papers: Not solving enough JEE Advanced past papers (10–15 years) or skipping mock test results in unfamiliarity with the exam’s complex question patterns and time constraints.

  4. Ignoring Error Analysis: Failing to analyze mistakes from mock tests or practice sessions leads to repeated errors, such as conceptual misunderstandings or calculation mistakes, hindering progress.

  5. Poor Time Management in Study Schedule: Studying without a structured plan or spending excessive time on one subject/topic disrupts balanced preparation, leading to burnout or insufficient revision for all subjects.

JEE Main 2026: Preparation Tips & Study Plan
Download the JEE Main 2026 Preparation Tips PDF to boost your exam strategy. Get expert insights on managing study material, focusing on key topics and high-weightage chapters.
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Additional Tips to Stay on Track During Preparations


1. Create a Strategic Yet Flexible Study Plan


Prepare a realistic timetable that divides your day into focused study blocks for each subject, including dedicated slots for revision, problem-solving, and mock tests. While having structure is crucial, allow flexibility to accommodate tough topics or unexpected delays. A balanced plan helps prevent burnout and ensures complete syllabus coverage with buffer time for deep dives.


2. Focus on Conceptual Understanding, Not Just Problem Quantity


Rather than rushing through hundreds of problems, ensure you deeply understand the theory behind each concept. JEE Advanced tests the application of multiple concepts in a single question, so train your mind to ask “why” and “how” every time you solve something. Build your ability to derive formulas, visualize problems, and solve from first principles.


3. Simulate the Exam Environment Regularly


Take full-length mock tests at least once a week under strict exam conditions (3 hours, no breaks, no distractions). Analyze your performance after every test, review your mistakes, identify weak concepts, and track your progress over time. Simulating the pressure of the actual exam will sharpen your decision-making, stamina, and accuracy.


4. Maintain a Strong Error Log and Revision Cycle


Keep a dedicated notebook or digital tracker for mistakes, note down the concept, type of error (silly, conceptual, or misread), and the correct approach. Revisit this log weekly to prevent repetition of errors. Alongside, follow a structured revision plan to revisit older topics regularly so that they remain fresh until the exam.


5. Take Care of Your Mental and Physical Well-being


Consistency thrives on energy and mental clarity, so prioritize sleep, nutrition, and physical activity. Avoid comparison with others and stay away from unnecessary distractions like excessive social media or study forum stress. Practice mindfulness techniques like journaling, meditation, or even short walks to clear your mind and recharge.

Also read:

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is the question paper type of JEE Main?
A:

The JEE Main 2026 exam will have objective-type questions.

Q: How many questions will be there in JEE Main 2026 exam?
A:

There will be total 90 questions in JEE Main exam.

Q: When JEE Main 2026 will happen?
A:

JEE Main exam is expected to happen in Jaunary (session 1) and April (session 2).

Q: Will there any negative marking in JEE Main 2025?
A:

Yes, there is a negative marking in the JEE Mains exam.

Q: How many sections will be there in JEE Main exam?
A:

There will be three sections in JEE Main exam namely, Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics.

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Questions related to JEE Main

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to JEE Main ?

With your JEE Main CRL 476199 and OBC rank 173160, admission to Civil Engineering at Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology (IGIT), Sarang under JoSAA counseling is highly unlikely, since even civil branch closing ranks in IGIT usually remain within 50k–80k CRL (general) and much lower for OBC. However, you may try through state counseling (Odisha JEE) where cutoffs are sometimes more flexible, but chances are still very low. You should keep other private/state colleges as backup.

Hey! With a JEE Main rank of around 1 lakh, you still have a good chance to get admission in several engineering colleges that provide quality education at a reasonable fee. For government colleges, you can aim for NITs or GFTIs in branches like Civil, Mechanical, or Chemical Engineering, as these usually have slightly higher closing ranks. For example, colleges like NIT Goa, NIT Puducherry, and NIT Srinagar might have seats available in certain branches.


Apart from NITs, state government engineering colleges are also a good option, especially under home state quota. They often have lower tuition fees and good faculty, so you can get a solid education without spending much.


If you are open to private colleges, there are options like VIT Vellore, KIIT Bhubaneswar, or Amity University that provide decent infrastructure and placements. However, the fees may be higher than government colleges.


My advice is to focus on branches that are less competitive, check all counseling rounds, and make use of state quotas if applicable. With proper planning, a rank of 1 lakh can still help you get a good college and start your engineering career success

fully.

No, you can’t use a previous year’s JEE rank for the current year’s WBJEE counselling. Only the JEE Main rank of the same admission year is valid along with that year’s WBJEE rank.

Hello Aspirant,

Finding specific JEE exam centers for Whitefield is difficult as they vary each year. The list is released on the admit card . However, many centers are usually iON Digital Zones. For coaching, top centers near Whitefield include Aakash Institute , Narayana Institute , and Allen Career Institute . These centers have branches in and around the Whitefield area to help you prepare for the exam.

Its okay if you missed jee this year you can drop year for JEE to get into a government institute like IET Lucknow to get better placement here and fees is also less in comparison with SRMU but it also means delaying a year with no guarantee success.

Joining a private college like SRMU now avoids losing a year,but it comes with higher costs and generally lower placement statistics compared to top government institutions.

ultimately Your decision should be based on your skill whether you can significantly improve your JEE score versus accepting a faster, but potentially more expensive, path to your B.Tech.

Hope it helps..