JEE Mains and board exams are perhaps the most important tests for every student who aspires to study engineering, architecture or planning. Students at this juncture in their lives feel pretty pressurized and they find it difficult to find the balance. But believe it or not, with some proper planning, it is not that hard after all. 

The first point is perhaps the most important one and that is keeping calm. Then, start your planning and balance your study time for both the exams. 

The syllabus for JEE and your Board exams are almost the same, with major differences lying in the pattern of these exams.

Board Exam pattern

Questions in the Board exam are typically descriptive in nature and you will find questions from chapters included in your Class 12th syllabus only. The level of difficulty is moderate and there are no negative marks for wrong answers.

JEE Mains Exam pattern

JEE Mains exam is a computer-based test that includes only objective questions. There are questions from chapters included in both the 11th and 12th standards syllabus, so the range is wider here. 

• For B.E./B. Tech paper there are 75 questions of 300 marks total
• For B. Arch paper there are 77 questions of 400 marks total
• For B. Planning paper there are 100 questions of 400 marks total

Take JEE Mains mock tests at Eduwhere

JEE Mains is a competitive examination, so the level of difficulty is obviously higher than that of Board exams. 4 marks are awarded for every correct answer and 1 mark deducted for every wrong answer in the MCQ section. There is also a Numerical Value-based questions section, for which there is no negative marking.

How to balance the JEE Mains and board exam preparation?

The best part of the JEE Mains is that it is conducted twice a year, which means you can now concentrate on one exam at a time. The first phase of JEE 2020 was held between Jan 6th and 11th, but if you couldn’t make it then or are not satisfied with how your exams went, there is one more chance for you. Prepare for the second attempt which will be held between April 3rd and 9th 2020 as declared by NTA (National Testing Agency). With regular practice tests online on Eduwhere, you can assess your preparation and go a long way for sure!

But, don’t forget to focus on your board exams preparation, since that does not come in phases! 

The ideal way to balance your JEE preparations is to chart out a study timetable and stick to it. 

You can follow a timetable like the one below, to effectively balance your JEE Mains preparations and Board examination. 

Following this timetable will help you stay in touch with all the subjects. So, studying at least 8 to 10 hours a day will help you immensely. 

But apart from following the time table mentioned above, as a student, you must take care of a few other things while preparing for JEE Advanced. 

• Yes, JEE preparations take time and you have to be patient and understand the concepts first. Once you get your fundamentals strong, you will automatically feel more confident. This is because if your basic concepts remain clear, you will be able to score well in both the Board examinations as well as JEE Mains. The basic concepts of Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics will not change, after all.

• One habit that you must develop from your practice tests is to start by answering the questions that you are sure about. Never waste your time thinking about the ones you are sceptical about. This habit will save you time and once you complete your answers, you will get time to revisit the questions you are not very sure of.
  

• DO NOT ignore any part or chapter while preparing for JEE. Certain chapters might be included in your JEE Mains but not in JEE Advanced examination. For instance, Electronic Devices and Communications Systems chapters in Physics form an important part of JEE Mains and the Board exam, but they are excluded in the JEE Advanced Exam. So you must be mindful and go through these chapters well. Solve as many questions as you can from mock tests and previous years’ papers.
  
  

Final words

While preparing for your board exams, make sure to concentrate more on the exclusive board type questions. These subjective type questions come with more weightage in the Boards exams.

The importance of online mock tests cannot be emphasized enough, because practice will lead you to perfection. You can register yourself on Eduwhere for their comprehensive JEE Mains online mock tests, and strengthen your preparation for the engineering entrance exam.