Making the best of your revision phase

By Dr. Sridhar G., Founder, Deeksha

With just a few weeks to go before competitive exams begin, this is the period when students must revise important concepts and subjects learnt year long. Most students are done with learning and begin their revision these last few weeks. With limited time in hand, the primary goal should be to improve speed, accuracy and memory retention. Follow these tips and make the most of this revision phase. Stay calm, focused and be positive!

Spend 80% of study time on core concepts: Spend more time on important and major topics post which you can explore other concepts in the syllabus. Concentrate on important formulae, questions, and concepts. Teaching or explaining a well-learned concept to someone else will help you know how well you have understood it. Combine bulky topics with light topics in a day, to avoid mind fatigue!

Attend revision classes: Make use of virtual classes and online videos to re-enforce previously learned topics. These sessions are specially designed to break down difficult concepts into simple blocks of information. Focus first on the most important and difficult topics to refresh your memory in these. Watch a few lessons a day and test your recall of these after one or two days. Make note of your doubts and clarify them before moving on to the next chapter.

Solve model papers: Consistently practicing model question papers during this time will give you an idea of what to expect and what to focus on. Time yourself as you solve papers, improve your speed and quality of the answer for descriptive type questions each time. Take more mock tests in subjects where you feel less confident. Refer to answers only after you have attempted your own.

Understand each question paper pattern: Both JEE and NEET exams last for 3 hours. However, the number of questions and the level of difficulty is very different. Take the time to solve and analyse the previous year’s papers. Develop the strategy that balances speed with accuracy. Be aware and maintain the same time duration when you practice mock papers. Focus on answering correctly to avoid negative marking in the main exam.

Self-evaluation: Figure out where you stand and identify weak spots. Solve as many problems and get external evaluation (such as online assessment tools) to help understand your strengths and problematic areas. JEE aspirants who have completed Phase 1 can use this time to improve weak points based on the previous exam. Keep 1 hour per day to evaluate your progress.

Avoid trying to complete the entire syllabus in one-shot: Depending on how well-prepared you are, adjust your revision strategy and make the most of the available time to master important and difficult concepts first. Trying to complete everything in one-go can be overwhelming! Do not panic and approach the syllabus in segments. Find one approach that works and stick to that.  

Seek doubt clarification: Get your doubts cleared by an expert. Seek online assessment and doubt clarification tools to iron out problem areas. Make use of reference books, study material and strategies shared by previous JEE/NEET exam passers. Develop your own examples under each topic to remember it better.

Keeping a light, motivated and fearless attitude towards your revision and exams will go a long way in helping you understand and recall your subject matter better. Do not get ahead of yourself and simply revise to the best of your ability, while focussing on your health and extra-curricular activities. The revision phase is the last leg before you write the exam, do not forget to enjoy yourself as you take up this challenge!