If you are writing the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main and hoping to join the ranks of JEE toppers, you need the right strategy. Apart from an ease with the Sciences and Mathematics, JEE Main and JEE Advanced toppers typically have workable preparation strategies, stress-busting techniques and practical tips at their disposal. Here, some of the JEE top rankers from previous years share their schedules and strategies.

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A Day In The Life Of A JEE Topper

Conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), the JEE is divided into two levels – JEE Main and Advanced. The JEE Main is for admission in National Institutes of Technology (NIT), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIIT) and other government-funded institutions. The top 2,50,000 JEE Main rank-holders get to appear for the JEE Advanced which is the second step and for Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) admissions. Over 10 lakh students write the JEE every year.

A look at the study schedules and efforts of the JEE toppers shows a dedicated approach to studying, fierce determination and a single-minded focus on achieving the desired result. Toppers from previous years share their study plans and preparation tips that aided their success.

Mridul Agarwal | JEE Main 2021 March | AIR 1

JEE Main 2021 topper Mridul Agarwal secured 100 percentile. He emphasised on the need for a well-balanced schedule which included proper hours for sleep, a dedicated study timetable and ample practice. He started his JEE preparation in Class11. His JEE preparation was in tandem with studies for Classes 11 and 12 where he not only studied the syllabus in depth but also made sure to practise by solving previous JEE Main papers on a regular basis.

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His daily JEE preparation schedule did not just include small breaks but also stress-busting activities like cycling, time with family and friends. According to Agarwal, these are equally important to relax and recoup energy to tackle the gruelling study schedule.

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Parth Dwivedi | JEE Main 2020 | AIR 14

One of the JEE Main 2020 toppers, Dwivedi feels that the JEE Main journey is more like a marathon. One has to keep working hard till the last days.

He started his “target IIT journey”, in Class11 and for the next two years worked with a triple goal in mind - Board exams, JEE Main, and JEE Advanced.

His day would start at 7 am and he would attend classes till 1 pm. Self-study time started at 4 pm. For Dwivedi, remaining calm was very important and he feels these two factors also contributed to his success in JEE.

This routine was constant till the last week before the exam. That's when he concentrated on relaxation techniques to avoid anxiety on exam day.

Vedang Asgaonkar | JEE Advanced 2020 | AIR 7

While Asgaonkar attended foundation courses in Class 8, his JEE journey officially started in Class 11. He devoted around six hours every day to JEE preparation during Class 11 and increased it to 14 hours in Class 12. He would alternate between two subjects in a day to prevent boredom.

On the difference between JEE Main and JEE Advanced, said that JEE Main questions are more textbook-oriented while JEE Advanced are analytical in nature. He further participated in the Physics and Mathematics Olympiads that year to prepare better for the JEE Advanced.

Kartikey Gupta | JEE Advanced 2019 | AIR 1

Having missed out on the top rank in JEE Main 2019 by a narrow margin, Gupta had decided to excel in JEE Advanced. He attained All India Rank 1 in JEE Advanced 2019 exam.

Gupta said he believed in smart work and that keeping long hours was not really necessary for excelling. His daily self-study time ranged from six to seven hours after the regular classes. Weekly tests were a regular exercise in his JEE preparation strategy and this helped him analyse and improve his performance. One of his mantras was to clear doubts every day before he retired for the day. Breaks every two hours were a part of his schedule. He kept away from social media and used his time to focus on improving his performance in every test.

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Sambit Behera | JEE Main 2019 | AIR 11

With the aim of studying Computer Science at IIT Bombay, Sambit Behra relocated to Kota, Rajasthan, almost three years before the JEE Main 2019 exam. His passion for Mathematics and Science stood him in good stead and he scored 100 percentile in the entrance test.

His daily JEE preparation routine included coaching classes from 6:30 am till noon followed by self-study from 4:30 pm for at least three to four hours. Jogging for at least half an hour after this was mandatory. Post dinner he would study till 11 p.m.

Behera’s JEE preparation started in Class 11. While his primary focus was JEE Advanced throughout his preparation days, he focussed on JEE Main 2019 in the last days before the actual exam date.

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