JEE Main 2019 is expected to be held in the first and second week of April next year. It means that you have just about eight months for JEE preparation in hand now. As you already know, preparing for JEE Main exams is considerably different than your board exam preparation. Preparation for Class 12 boards requires a subjective approach while JEE Main preparation requires you to take a step ahead and understand all the applications of concepts you study.
Remember that JEE preparation is largely based on CBSE’s Class XI and Class XII syllabus. So, if you are from the CBSE Board, you should not waste your time studying about the same topic twice. You should use all that time to solve problems instead.
Practice and attention-to-detail are two things that segregate toppers from those who fail to crack the engineering entrance exam. As most IIT JEE coaching experts suggest repeatedly, it is important to cover all the topics mentioned in JEE syllabus. Chapters like semi-conductors may not seem important to you right now but neglecting them may man loss of 2-4 easy marks in the JEE Main exam.
Here is a month-by-month breakup of how to crack JEE Main 2019 with guaranteed results:
August 2018
Mathematics
In Maths, start with the easy topics. Set an intense pace as you don’t have much time now. Note that IIT JEE coaching expert says that often the topics mentioned below are combined together to form quality JEE Main and Advanced questions:
• Logarithms: This is an easy topic but comes in quite handy as it is often combined with Calculus.
• Trigonometry: Direct questions from this topic are rarely asked but trigonometric functions help you solve several other related questions. You may skip Inverse Trigonometric Functions for now and cover it only till solution of triangles.
• Quadratic Equations: Once you master basic Trigonometry, Quadratic Equations become easier to handle, and this is one of the favorite topics of JEE Main paper setters. Focus on it well and you will find how it helps you in the later phase of JEE preparation.
• Sequences and Series: You should be able to cover it in less than 3 days as it is a short topic. It throws up several JEE questions though.
• Arithmetic Mean – Geometric Mean Inequality: One of the favorite topics of JEE Main organizers, you might want to master it well.
• Binomial Theorem: This is an easy topic to do as a ‘snack’ for your mind when it is exhausted. It is not too scoring though.
Revise all the concepts well and try to solve most difficult questions from these topics that you find in previous years’ papers or practice papers provided by your IIT JEE coaching.
Physics
In Physics, you need to understand concepts and their applications first, and then, build upon them. Hence, the first month is going to be a little difficult here but I assure you that revisions are quick and take very less time. Think of it as a fun subject. Befriend its concepts and try to apply them to various problems.
When it comes to JEE Main preparation, you should devote 40% of your time to Mechanics, 30% to Electricity and Magnetism, 20% to Optics, and 10% to everything else. This is how we are going to allot time to prepare Physics for JEE exams.
Start your Physics preparation with Kinematics, followed by Newton’s Laws, then, Work and Energy, followed by Center of Mass, and lastly, Momentum. Follow the chapters in the order mentioned above. Solve as many practice problems from the topics you pick up.
By the end of this month, you should be able to read the questions and immediately understand what the Physics teachers want you to find out. You should also become an expert in the following:
● Defining all terms covered in these chapters
● Using the Force Equation
● Using the Energy Method
● Using the Momentum Conservation
There is just one tip: Do not try to learn Physics problems by heart. You will have to learn to remember less and apply more in this subject.
Chemistry
With Chemistry, it is extremely important to solve problems immediately after you understand the concept to learn your concepts by heart. NCERT books, one good reference book each for Organic, Physical and Inorganic Chemistry, and a question book are enough to master Chemistry for JEE Main 2018.
Do not make the mistake of dismissing Chemistry as an ‘easy’ subject to be tackled at the last minute. It will only create an imbalance which is not good for your IIT JEE preparation. Ideally, you should study Chemistry for at least an hour per day. Even if you do miss the subject on a particular day, make sure not to let two days pass by before practicing Chemistry questions.
You should start with the basics in the first month. This month, you should focus on:
● Mole Concept: Unlike popular conception, Mole Concept is easy if you simply learn to count well. You should focus on balancing equations, principle of atom conservation, n-factor, and limiting reagent this month. Touch the titration section only if you feel ready for it.
● Chemical Kinetics: You will be surprised to find many questions from this easy and interesting chapter in the JEE papers. You must focus on its graphs, Half-Life, Arrhenius Equation, Order of Reactions, and how to find the unit of rate constants.
● Equilibrium: Once you master Chemical Kinetics, Equilibrium becomes a cakewalk. Some of its concepts that throw up quite easy questions in JEE Main question paper are pH calculation, Le Chatelier’s principle, Buffers, different types of equilibrium constants, Solubility and Solubility Product.
Together, these three chapters give you ample practice on the mole concept.
● Atomic Structure: Pay special attention to Orbitals, Subshells, Hund’s rule, Pauli’s principle, Aufbau principle etc. Bohr’s model is most important. Rutherford’s model should be read once but you may skip over Thomson’s model and other such models for now and can come back to them when you have covered everything else. Quantum Number Theory is quite important too.
● Periodic Table and Classification of Elements: Here’s a secret. You do not need to learn the periodic table for JEE. As long as you remember the positions, s-block, and p-block of some frequently appearing elements such as Ag, Cu, Fe etc, you should be fine enough. Try to pick up concepts like Ionization Potential, Electron Affinity etc well as you will need them frequently later on.
● Organic Chemistry: All the chapters in this section are very important as many questions are asked in JEE Main paper from this section alone. Practice a variety of questions and understand all its mechanisms well. Pay special attention to acids and bases.
September 2018
Mathematics
This month, let us move on to Calculus. Topics you should cover are:
• Functions: Defining each function, inverse of a function, graphs, and finding range and domains are some things you should pay attention now. Mastering this topic will help you solve other types of problems faster too.
• Inverse Trigonometric Functions: This is the time to pick up the topic once again and grill it.
• Limit, Continuity and Differentiability: Functions and Graphs are necessary to be able to grasp these chapters well. You will find many questions from here in JEE Main paper.
• Methods of Differentiation: If you love new techniques and puzzles, you will find this chapter quite interesting. No matter how good it feels, solve only enough problems to get good practice and move on. Devoting too much time here might derail other parts of your IIT JEE preparation schedule.
Physics
Use first five days to revise any topic you covered in the first month that you would like to study some more. Make sure that you understand all the concepts well before you move on to Rotational Dynamics. It takes 10-12 days to fully grasp this chapter but I recommend you not to skimp time here.
In the remaining days, try to cover easier chapters like Properties of Matter, Thermodynamics, and Fluids.
Chemistry
Once you master the concepts of the previous month well, Chemistry should be easier for you from this month. In September, you should focus on
● States of Matter: Start with the gaseous state, followed by liquid, and then, solid state. Topics you should pay special attention to are RMS, Diffusion and Effusion, Average and Most Probable Speeds, Raoult’s Law, Van Der Waal’s equation, unit cells, radius ratio, and colligative properties.
● Metallurgy: Aluminum and Copper seem to be the favorite of JEE Main authorities.
● S-block elements: Hydrogen compounds such as peroxides, and solubilities and thermal stabilities of hydroxides and carbonates are most important.
● Isomerism: By the end of this chapter, you should be ready to tackle this topic. Revisit IUPAC nomenclature to understand it well. Focus on stereochemistry, especially r, s configuration.
October 2018
Mathematics
Master Integration this month. Cover the following:
• Indefinite Integration: This topic requires you to learn things by heart. Its questions are solved in a particular way and you need to know all the methods that are used by heart.
• Definite Integration: JEE and JEE aspirants both Students definitely favor this one, over his brother, indefinite. So does JEE.
• Area under Curve: 1-2 questions from this topic are asked in the JEE exam every year.
• Application of Derivatives: One of the most important topics from JEE Main perspective. You need to focus more on Errors, Maxima-Minima, and Mean Value Theorem.
Physics
In this month, you can combine chapters like Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM), Waves (which is simply several SHMs together), and Wave Optics – in that particular order. Learn Phasor method well.
Once you finish with them, cover Ray Optics this month too. Have ample practice of questions related to combination of lenses as well as real or apparent depth problems.
Chemistry
In the first 10 days, revise all the basics and fundamentals you have learned so far. Then, cover the following topics:
● Chemical Bonding: One of the very important chapters for JEE. In this chapter, try to understand hybridization, shape and structure, Valence shell electron pair repulsion (VSEPR) theory, and molecular orbital (MO) theory well.
● Surface and Environmental Chemistry: Go through these sections quickly. Just remember the key catalysts and pollutants mentioned here.
● Thermodynamics: We recommend you to do this chapter along with Thermodynamics in Physics. It will become easier for you to gain a holistic understanding of the topic.
● Alkanes: Write the reagents in a small notebook for revision purposes later on. Learn the halogenation reaction and practice questions based on isomers well.
November 2018
Mathematics
This month, Math should be easier for too. Cover topics like:
• Straight Lines: Locus and Family of Straight lines should be your focus here.
• Circle: Circles introduce a lot of concepts in co-ordinate geometry. They are also important for complex numbers. Do this topic well.
• Vectors: Vectors should be familiar to you by this time. So, finish it first.
• 3D Geometry: A good grasp of straight lines is quite useful here. In the JEE Main paper, one can usually find 1-2 easy questions from this topic. So, pay attention to it.
• Permutations and Combinations: This is almost an abstract topic. Some find it too easy while others find it too difficult to grasp. If you find it too difficult, you can save it for later or skip it altogether to save precious time.
Physics
Once you have covered Mechanics, Electrostatics becomes quite easy. 50% of the latter is Mechanics and a new force called Coulomb’s force is introduced.
Combine Electrostatics with Gravitation – as they follow similar patterns.
In the end, cover Modern Physics which should not take you more than a week. Notice that most of it is what you have already studied in Chemistry.
Chemistry
Now that you have almost covered all the Physical Chemistry topics and done several topics from Organic and Inorganic sections too, you can now cover:
• Electrochemistry: It is a big chapters and it needs time to master it. However, a question or two from the topic is a staple in JEE Mains. So, cover it well. Focus more on Conductance Cell, Nernst Equation, Kohlrausch’s Law, cell potentials etc.
• P-block elements: Nitrogen is JEE’s favorite. Group 15 elements also throw up several JEE questions from time to time.
• Alkenes and Alkynes: Keep updating all about reagents in your revision notebook and practice addition reactions well.
December 2018
Mathematics
The topics covered this month will use several of the concepts we learned earlier and offer new insights into the chapters we have already covered. These include:
• Matrices and Determinants: This is an easy topic and you would not require much help to master it.
• Complex Numbers: Now that you have covered functions, locus, trigonometry etc., you will find this topic much easier to understand.
• Differential Equations: Pay special attention to solving differential equations as they carry high weightage in the JEE exams.
• Probability: Usually, just one question is asked from this section. So, do it only if you are already somewhat good in it.
Physics
We will devote this month to cover Current and Magnets well. Topics you should cover this month are Electric Current, Capacitors, Magnetic Effects of Current, Magnetism, Matter, EMI, EM waves, and AC. Focus especially on motional EMF, magnetic field, and Phasor method in AC.
Chemistry
This month, revise all chapters of Chemistry one by one. Try to cover one chapter each day. You should be able to cover the entire Physical Chemistry in about 11 days and cover some Organic Chemistry too. You can finish off chapters like Alcohols, Aldehydes and Ketones, Haloalkanes & Haloarenes, and Phenols and Ethers this month. If you have mastered General Organic Chemistry sufficiently well, these chapters should be quite easy for you.
By the end of this month, master d- and f-block elements.
January 2019
Mathematics
There are some additional topics you should cover this month are:
• Conic Sections: Recently, this section has thrown up several easy JEE questions. The section just introduces concepts you have covered earlier such as Parabola, Ellipse, and Hyperbola with slight changes.
• Mathematical Reasoning: Since it is comparatively a new topic, 1-2 questions are asked from it regularly in JEE paper in the recent years.
Physics
This month, cover Units and Dimensions, and Errors & Measurements quite well. You are guaranteed to get JEE questions from this section.
Moreover, this chapter also helps you in eliminating options in Physics questions of which you are not sure in the exam.
This month, also learn about Instruments and Semiconductor Devices that you need to cover only for the JEE Main exam.
Chemistry
Now that you are nearing your board exams, finish off your Chemistry JEE preparation this month. Start off with carboxylic acids, follow it up by Nitrogen containing compounds, and wrap up the Inorganic Chemistry section by mastering Coordination Chemistry.
Take two days to read up through Chemistry in Everyday Life, Polymers and Biomolecules quickly and then, start your revisions right away.
February and March 2019
In these two months, you will be busy with your board exams too. Whenever you get time, try to revise all your subjects and solve at least a few problems from each subject on a regular basis.