Students preparing for the NEET examination are naturally under considerable amount of pressure. This coupled with the vast syllabus makes the examination seem a formidable one indeed. Preparation for NEET starts well in advance and when you are in square one, the long journey stretching out ahead can cause considerable distress. However there is no need to panic. By following a few simple tips, the journey towards NEET can be a calm and smooth sailing one.
- First and foremost, plan your studies. Make a study schedule and stick to it sincerely. Break up the syllabus into yearly, monthly and daily targets. It is important to be practical while setting up the schedule. There is no use in piling a lot of topics into one day and then being unable to complete the schedule for that day.
- Know your syllabus. Have a copy of the syllabus with you and make sure it is the latest one. The syllabus is available at both the NTA website as well as the MCI website.
- Do not brush aside the NCERT books. Along with the NEET study material, it is important to have a good understanding of the foundation and the basics the NCERT books teach. This is because given the vast NEET syllabus, mugging up won’t work!
- Attempt previous years question papers. This will give students an idea of the topics to concentrate more on. It will also help them understand the manner in which the questions are framed. The NEET exam requires 180 questions to be answered in 3 hours. Solving the papers will help the students realize how fast they need to be while answering the questions.
- Make notes. It is impossible to study everything a few days before the exam. Making daily notes will help in easy revision close to the D-day.
- Revise repeatedly. As you get into the study schedule, it is important to revise the topics learnt previously. Revision is a must to retain what has been learnt.
- Take breaks while studying. Arrange your schedule in such a way that you have some time to relax every day. Taking a break refreshes the brain and it absorbs better.
- Remember the negative marking. As incorrect answers will result in a negative marking of 1, it is better to avoid guesswork. Also while marking the answers in the OMR sheet, make sure the answers are marked against the correct question number.
- Take care of your health. Amidst all the studying, your health should not take a backseat. Eat a healthy diet and make sure you get adequate sleep. This is as important as the other studying tips mentioned.
- Day of Examination: It is normal to feel jittery on the day of the exam. Make sure you reach the exam venue with enough time to spare. Double check all the documents needed. There is a list of barred items students need to be aware of as well as a dress code that has to be followed. Information on this is available in the NTA website.
Remember, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. So start preparing today with these tips in mind. You are sure to come out with flying colors!