The Joint Entrance Examination is one of the most competitive examinations held all over the nation and acts as a measure for the capability of students for admission into various engineering programmes. This examination is usually held in two parts, the JEE (Main) and the JEE (Advanced). The scores from the latter are accepted by the more prestigious institutes of the country, which are the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), situated all over the country.
Both JEE Main and Advanced levels require a lot of effort and hard work to be put into the preparation phase. This is why students begin preparations years and years before they are actually eligible to appear for the exam. Since the exam covers subjects and topics taught in both class 11 and 12, it becomes essential to figure out when to actually start JEE preparation.
During the last 10-15 years, a large variety of coaching institutes which claim to prepare students for the JEE have come up in almost every nook and corner of the country. These institutes begin preparing students for the JEE in as early as class 9. Termed as ‘foundation courses’ for classes 9 and 10, institutes focus on developing a routine and a habit of hard work in the students in these formative years. A strong focus on the basics of the JEE is also given, with students slowly but surely being readied for the final hurdle.
The most popular time to begin JEE prep
However, to this day, the most popular time to begin JEE preparations remains during class 11. October or November remains the perfect time for beginning your preparations, during your class 11 year. Most coaching institutes offer their most popular programmes for class 11 students itself, with a focus on getting the syllabus done and then some more for the JEE Advanced. During these 18 months, the students can give more of their time to prepare for the JEE while still in class 11, as class 12 brings the perils of board examinations with it. Practical exams, pre-boards, and the boards itself can suck out a lot from the student. Therefore, it is best advised to begin preparing rigorously for the JEE in class 11 itself, and give more time to it than school studies.
Due to increasing competition, it has begun to make sense to many people that the earlier, the better. This is why we are seeing an increase in the number of students opting to prepare for the JEE from class 10 itself, at least those who are serious in their engineering ambitions. This gives them much more time to prepare for the JEE Advanced, which, to be honest, requires significantly more effort than the Main examination. A step in the right direction, perhaps?
Whichever time you choose to start your preparation, remember that the JEE takes time, hard work, and a whole lot of effort from your side. Combine these three, and you will get success in achieving your goal of becoming an engineer!