Do’s & Don’ts While Preparing Competitive Exams

                                          By – Rohan Khot, JEE AIR- 557 (Yr. 2007)

                                          Alumni IIT-Guwahati, Comp. Sci.

                                          Working @ Google Inc. U.S.A

                                          Ex. ICADian

 

Today’s world is the world of competitive examinations. For admission into best colleges you have to clear it, for getting in to best job you have clear it, for getting promotion you have to clear it. There is no escape from this.

I will share the basics do's & don’ts that I followed. These helped me a lot in my journey till now.

• Do Start preparing early: The one who starts first finishes first. Start preparing from the early standards. Try to get into competitive mode & start appearing for as many as competitive examinations you can. By doing this, you can develop a mindset which is required for cracking difficult examinations at the later stage.

•  Don’t forget to clear the basics: Get the basics right. Strong foundation leads to sure shot success. If you don’t understand the basics of any topic you won’t be able to solve the complex problems. Get the concepts right & move ahead.

•  Study in group or do not study in group: Group study is not meant for every one. If you have a fidgety mind, then it is not meant for you mate. Please avoid it at any cost. And if you can study as an individual in a group & discuss things only when doubt arises then its best thing for you. Join the group of students who are more intellectual than you. It will keep you on toes to work hard & be competitive every time. Also your doubts will be cleared at the very beginning.  

•   Do improve your performance every time: Always analyze your score and mistakes after each test. Avoid the mistakes that you did in your previous test. And always work for a better score every time. You should compete with yourself first then the world. Try to surpass your best score every time, it gives immense motivation.

• Managing multiple things: It’s the most important & most difficult thing. If study is your priority then you have to give secondary importance to all other things like sports & all. But don’t get confused. I am not saying to become a bookworm. Balance the act, take out some time for recreation in sport but don’t over exert yourself in it as it’s not your goal. But if you want to be a sports person the things will be vice versa. Every career needs have different priorities. So prioritize your needs as per your goals.

•  Learn from other’s mistake: There is a saying “Fool commits mistakes & wise learn from them”. Life is too short to commit mistakes & then learn from them. Learn from other people’s mistakes & avoid doing it which already is proved wrong. Rather commit new mistakes in doing new things.

•  Never say die: Life is a race but you don’t have to panic. It’s never the end & you can have a fresh start. But see if you have tried your best before the fresh start. If you are committed enough & you want it badly, you will find a way to achieve it. Have this attitude of “Never say die” & it will help you in the long run.

• Don’t get into any relationship: This is the biggest mistake that every teenager falls into the prey of. I have seen almost 90+% of teenagers of getting into a relation. It’s not the age for all these things & it’s the biggest distraction which takes you away from your goal. Not everyone is focused enough in managing this with studies.  It should be a strong NO-NO for everyone until you are on the right track & have achieved you career goals in you study era.

These were the things that I followed in my journey till here. I Hope the young readers get a clear insight & start focusing on their goals.  

Give Your Best!!!

(This article is compiled from Rohan Khot’s guidance session to  IIT-JEE aspirants at ICAD).

 

Review of placements: Role of engineering entrance exams- By Sarang Upganlawar (Director ICAD & ICAD-SL))

Preparation for IITJEE - Track for pattern- By Utkarsh Rustogi

(By: Utkarsh Rustogi, JEE AIR- 874, Ex-ICADian,Grad. Student IIT Kharagpur)

Indian Institute of Technology – Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) is considered to be the top notch entrance examination for all the undergraduate engineering aspirants in India. It is considered to be one of the toughest examinations not only in India but also abroad considering the number of students getting selected and the number of candidates appearing for the examination. But, in the opinion of author, it does not have much complex questions or difficult to crack questions in it. It is just a different pattern of examination and thus it requires a different approach in understanding the same subjects. The success lies in understanding the basic fundas and practicing well before the examination.

Without mincing words (the examination is in April!!), let us ponder over a few important points to be taken into consideration for preparation for IITJEE.

• One can succeed in cracking the IIT JEE if one believes that he/she can get into the IIT and most importantly believes that success at IIT is independent of the success at school or internal tests in coaching classes.
• Prepare a list of all the topics you are strong at and the portions which you are weak at. Plan actions accordingly. Allocation of time for study is to be based on this list. Never fall in trap by giving more time to the subject which you like most and very less time which is not relishing.
• Never try to learn a new topic in the final days. This would be only a waste of time and might reduce confidence level too.
• While revising the topics try to make short important notes and list of formulae (if not made them still now). Try to memorize all the formulae. These short notes would be helpful in the final revision of the topics.
• Be confident, positive and do not panic. After all it is just another exam.
• Analyze previous years IIT-JEE question papers and track some patterns. Although the questions are never repeated but there is a definite pattern which need to tracked?
• Practice makes a man perfect. Aptly said. Sufficient practice will help in achieving a proper balance between speed and accuracy. While revising a subject, practice in an environment of examination hall. This would be an actual simulation of the examination itself.
• Try to solve sample question papers and previous years' papers according to the time schedule i.e. 9:00 am to 12:00 noon and 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. This will help in many ways i.e. Practice, time management and also keeping active during this period of time. Also avoid sleeping in this time.
• Don’t waste time watching TV and sitting in front of computer searching for tips, socializing etc. These things can  wait after cracking the IIT JEE.
• Outdoor games or a walk in the evening would be good. Take care of your health and be confident.
• Last but not the least STUDY HARD and STUDY HARD.

BEST OF LUCK!!

Exposure at IIT's- By Pradip Gatkine

(By: Pradip Gatkine, JEE AIR (C)- 128, Ex-ICADian, Second Year Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering, IIT Bombay)


IITs! The lubricant of ‘The Chariot’ of India’s technical development! Meant to produce capable “Charioteers” for this chariot!! IITs (Indian Institute of Technology) are India’s finest technical institutes at the frontiers of international technical advances.

·         Establishments & Alumni:

The IITs established in the initial days of our independence have run a long in creating technical excellence in India. Narayan Murthy(co-founder Infosys), Vinod Khosla(co-founder Sun Microsystems), Dr  Mani Lal Bhaumik(co-inventor of LASIK surgery) are a few of the star achievers who find their roots in IIT!!

·         The Study System:

The study structure of IITs gives profound flexibility to the students to pusue their interests in varied fields. One can learn courses of other departments, work on projects of their own choice, work under faculties undertaking research and so on….

Faculties here are the best diamonds picked up from nation’s intelligentsia to shape our future. Additionally, the “Student’s Science Clubs” are so active in IIT that people get introduced to many a practical things in their very first year  through lots of activities which is a very rare scene elsewhere. Again, eminent guests like Nobel Laureates are regularly invited to interact with students which adds a new dimension to study @ IIT.

·         The Extraaaa Curriculars:

IITs play at front foot here too! Here you learn to enjoy heavens in your 10ft x 10ft room!

A galore of events all through the year and you end up searching out time to study!! Cultural & sports bodies are continuously busy with one activity or the other. The cultural fests @  IITs are one of the largest fests in Asia!! Appearance of international  artists, performers flood the festival with infinite joy!! Whatever be your interest, you name it and its right there! All sorts of spors and arts! Such a diversified culture make IITs unique among all the technical institutes.

IITians have proved themselves on every front. They also have their own linguistics (search IITB lingo on web). Well, remember  ‘Five Point Someone’wala  Chetan Bhagat is also an IITian!!

·         Industry Exposure:

IIT is just more than the best destination for all those who want to be “Technopreneurs” .

The active entrepreneurship cell takes care of that! With the business meets and innovations running at full speed, E-cells provide the right platform for rising entrepreneur in you! With the advent of tie-ups, internships and fundings from various industries and research firms, IITs have successfully incubated many a companies of its students.  The “3 idiots”wala quadrotor is a creation of “Idea Forge”, a company of IITians conceived by IIT Bombay!!

·         R&D @ IITs:

Though we are desperately working on cutting edge technologies, still today we are importing even the small things like mobile chargers! This concern has given rise to R&D Cell in IITs. Faculties and students come together to develop indigenous solutions for which we used to rely on foreign companies. The grandeur of R&D in IITs can be cherished looking at the state of the art research facilities and funding to the  projects. The pinnacle of this can be seen in India’s first “Student Satellite Project- Pratham” undertaken by IIT Bombay. This clearly indicates “Role of R&D in IITs is instrumental in realizing Dream 2020 of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.”

·         Job Opportunities:

Jobs! Not a problem at all for IITians! Top notch companies like Google, Cisco, ONGC, IBM, Adobe, TCS and the list goes on and on…. They come here to tap the best Indian Brains. Nevertheless, IITians are not only job takers but also job makers!!

·         Future scope of studying in IITs:

IITs are ever evolving technical hubs of India. The Indian counterparts of MIT(Massachusetts Institute of Technology in US ) are shining everywhere in the world!! In all possible fields!!!

Getting into IIT is a tough job but that’s the turning point which lifts from ground to heavens!! So I wish all my fellows “All The Best!” for upcoming JEE!! Hope to see you in IIT!!!

Thank You!!

What it takes to be an IITian- By: Alap Kshirsagar

Published in The Hitavada "FUTURE"
(By: Alap Kshirsagar, JEE AIR-289, Ex-ICADian, Second Year Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering, IIT Bombay)

“IIT JEE” when we hear these 2 words, certain thing pop-up into our mind- ‘Extremely difficult examination’, ‘Selection is near impossible’, ‘Only born geniuses can crack it’ etc. etc.

Now, being an IITian I can surely (and safely!!) say that these statements are not entirely correct. It’s true that JEE is one of the toughest entrance exams, with selection rate of around 0.02% (pretty low), all one needs to crack it is sheer determination and flawless efforts.

First of all ask yourself, “Whether I’m ready to sacrifice all the ‘time pass’ activities for atleast 2 years?”. If the answer is ‘Yes’, then you are on the right track. Now ‘when to begin?’ Some students start studying for JEE right from 5^th standard or so… Though early start helps, it is not necessary. One can begin preparation even after 10^th class.

I personally feel that proper guidance reduces the workload and efforts considerably, though some may opt for self-preparation which gives flexibility. Ultimately what will matter is your understanding of concepts and practice. It is said that ‘One can only bring the horse near the pond, the horse has to drink water itself.’

Success in JEE depends on 2 factors- preparation before exam and performance in actual exam. Both are strongly related and equally important. The preparation part is a ‘Tour-de-France’, which is full of hurdles, obstacles and ‘dangerous situations’… Endurance, confidence and consistent smart work (don’t confuse it with ‘hard work’) is required to successfully complete it. It takes some time to change the mindset from ‘Board pattern’ to ‘JEE pattern’. So don’t give up in the beginning itself. The course is vast but proper planning can ensure complete preparation. Identify your strong and weak topics, and distribute time accordingly. Set small targets for each day, week and month. These small steps will take you up to the zenith. (Sorry but there is no shortcut).

To simplify things, preparation can be divided into 2 parts-learning and practice. Learning involves understanding concepts thoroughly and grasping problem solving techniques. Practice is basically simulation of exam environment. Solving questions accurately and in least amount of time should be the aim while practicing. Solving sample papers or previous years’ papers in exam like schedule will help to tune the body clock.

After the preparation, here comes the ‘JEE- day’ (10^th April this year. Did your heartbeats suddenly rise?). Well, take the exam like a T20 match. Enjoy it!! Whatever may be the level of questions don’t fall back. Remember ‘Attack is the best way of defence’ (donno who said that…) because ‘Yeh 360 minutes tumhare… (Courtesy: chak de.)’

In the end, I would like to add a dialogue which is quite popular here @ IIT,

“You enter IIT through JEE for graduation; if it’s not possible, come for masters through GATE; even if that’s not possible, do a Ph. D. here; again if this doesn’t happen become a professor. If fortune forbids this too, ultimately get appointed as the Director from Delhi. But never miss the bus to IIT!!!” 

CELEBRITY IITians- By: Rohan Khot

Published in The Hitavada "FUTURE"
(By: Rohan Khot, JEE AIR-557, Ex-ICADian, Grad. IIT Guwahati, Currently working in Google Inc., California)


The Indian Institutes of Technology ( IITs) are undoubtedly crown jewels in India’s system of higher education. Their contribution to making India largely self-reliant in top-notch manpower needs in diverse areas of engineering in the pre-liberalization era, and to India’s emergence as a powerhouse in the knowledge economy in the era of liberalization and globalization is uncontestable. Even IITians who went abroad in large numbers have served the motherland in their own ways by achieving excellence in their professions and thus enhancing India’s prestige globally.


Some IIT products have become celebrities. They have conquered not only the technical world, but also fields like business, politics, literature, finance... almost everything one can imagine. The following examples will illustrate just how deeply IITians have influenced the post imperial world. Mr Duvvuri Subbarao (IIT Kharagpur) is the Governor of Reserve Bank of India, the apex bank in India's banking system. Mr. N.R. Narayana Murthy (IIT Kanpur) is the Co-founder and Chairman of Infosys. He needs no further introduction. Mr. Srikumar Banerjee(IIT Kharagpur) is Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), a premier multi-disciplinary Nuclear Research Centre of India. Mr. Manohar Parrikar (IIT Bombay) has served as Chief Minister, Goa and proved the worth of IITians in politics as well.

Talking about the slightly younger generation of IIT graduates, Mr. Chetan Bhagat (IIT Delhi) took everybody by surprise with his award winning bestsellers like "Five Point Someone",  "One Night @ The Call Centre",  "The 3 Mistakes Of My Life" and recently released "2 States". Mr.Vinod Khosla (IIT Delhi) is the Co-founder Sun Microsystems, a multinational vendor of computers, computer components, computer software, and information technology services. IITian’s are known to be renowned academicians as is proven by Mr. Mriganka Sur (IIT Kanpur),  Professor of Neuroscience at MIT.

"IIT is a world treasure, thank you, bless you." -- Bill Gates (in his speech at IIT Bombay)

The potential of IITs was correctly recognized and appreciated by Bill Gates. He has worked with many IITians in the field of computer science and employed them at high posts in his company Microsoft. He is convinced that IIT’s will continue to produce the finest engineers in the industry and the best academicians in the world.

With India beginning to offer better opportunities than before for the flowering of their talent, many IITians are either returning home or supporting technology-driven ventures here, thus transforming “brain drain” into “brain gain”. True, IITs have many shortcomings. But none can deny their potential to address unmet expectations and to make India more proud. Which is why, there is a clamor for more of them to be set up. And the UPA government deserves kudos for its decision to establish nine new IITs, adding to the earlier bouquet of seven.