If you are currently in school anywhere from 6th to 12th std, this is the post for you. In this post, I will explain why you should prepare for IIT and briefly touch on how to go on about preparing so you have the best chance of getting a sit in top IIT/NIT or any other engineering college. I myself started preparing for IIT in 11th standard and achieved an under 60 rank in JEE Advanced to secure a sit in IIT Bombay in Computer Science and Engineering Branch.
Do it for your own freedom not money
I am not gonna lie when I first heard about IIT in 10th standard and its graduates getting 1 crore packages. I thought to myself “apna itna package hojaye toh life sorted” ( my monthly pocket money was literally 500 Rs at that time ).
But the main thing I got out of the whole experience of preparing for IIT and getting a sit in the prestigious CSE branch at IIT Bombay and graduating is that it is all about freedom from all the things you hate in society. you won’t have to listen or follow the advice of your relatives or even your parents if you don’t want to. this is because with IIT tags come certain perks, you can get a well-paying job very easily if you have prepared for jee you can learn any new topics easily. getting into postgraduates program in India and abroad is very easy basically you will make it on your own if no one supports you.
In short, just having that IIT tag opens a world of opportunities for you to grab. it just provides a point of credibility in our world that this guy is at least better than 99% of peers.
How to prepare and coaching
The first question that arises is when you should start your IIT preparations. there are coaching that offer courses starting as early as the 6th class. but in my opinion, you should start in the 11th class or 9th class if you want to start early. there is no point in starting your preparation for JEE before that. I don’t even recommend the 9th class because coaching starts teaching you things in advance. and when you get to 11th you find things repeating get bored and tired. also, coaching is very taxing on your life and I have seen many people who start early get burn out when they reach 12th and start losing determination.
The next question is how, well this is easy. join coaching. there are few choices you have here. join coaching in your city, join online coaching or go to Kota. If your parents can afford the expense ( roughly 3 Lakh per annum ) you should definitely go for the Kota option. because
- you won’t find the level of competition in your local city.
- Kota has a different environment. everyone around you is doing one thing and one thing only. preparing for JEE/AIIMS.
- You won’t have the distraction you might find at your home and in local town.
So you have joined your coaching, now what? you will get a sit in an IIT, right? well, I wish it were that simple. but this is just the starting point of your journey. here are few general pointers on what you should do and don’t.
Do
- Attend every class and test coaching has planned.
- Pay close attention in class, take detailed notes and question discussions (even if you have solved it)
- Summerise what you learned in today’s class in separate notebook.
- Complete your daily homework daily. ( catching up in very difficult if you fall behind )
- Atleast sleep for 8 hours ( even night before exams ). take 1-2, 30 mins naps if you need.
Don’t
- don’t waste your time explaining a topic or question to a hostel or class mate.
- don’t take a smart phone with you. don’t make friends with someone who has one. take a samsung guru or similar basic mobile with you which just allows basic calling and text.
- don’t shy away from asking question to your teacher in class.
- make sure you are not wasting too much time in commute to class or mess.
Conclusion
I hope I have convinced you to start preparing for JEE. the road ahead is bumpy and full of thorns. but fruits at the end of it make it all worth it.