Over four lakh candidates will take the IIT-JEE tomorrow, and many of them have been burning the midnight oil for two years.
Rakshith Sharma, 17, has been spending 12 to 14 hours each day at his books for the past few days.
He admits that the hours used to be much longer. And it has been that way for about two years. He now feels ready to take the toughest entrance test of his life. When the results are announced, if he can see that he has found a place at one of the 15 Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), it would be the teen’s dream, come true.
The intensely competitive entrance examination for engineering courses, the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), conducted by the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology, will be held on April 11 this year at centres across the country.
Most IIT aspirants set about preparing for the examination over two years ahead of their first attempt.
By their own admission, many of these aspirants have never studied so hard for any other exam. The board examinations in grades 10 and 12, in comparison, are easy. Most aspirants also see that while seats at the IITs are limited, the number of those taking the exams rises each year, making the competition stiffer. This year, over four lakh candidates will be taking the JEE.
“My board exams were very easy. I’ve done well in those. I have reduced the number of hours I study for JEE to 12 now, but it used to be longer. I’ve been at it since I started grade 11,” says Rakshith.
There are several thousand aspirants who have been attending tuitions customised for the IIT-JEE. This year, nearly 4.72 lakh candidates have registered to take the test across the country. In 2009, 3,84,977 candidates had attempted the JEE. Only 10,035 had successfully cleared the entrance test.
The number of candidates taking the test from the IIT Madras zone, which includes Karnataka, is 68,500. In 2009, 64,829 candidates had attempted the JEE from the zone. There are test centres at Bangalore, Mysore and Mangalore, for those wishing to take the exam in the state. Candidates are busy with last-minute revision of basic concepts in the three main subjects, Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry.
“Everyone is tense about the JEE. Getting into the IIT is not an easy task. I’m making use of the last few days, revising,” says Vageesh DC, an IIT aspirant.
Prof Narayan Desai, faculty member at BASE, a coaching centre for IIT aspirants, says, “The focus of candidates at this time should be on taking practice papers that simulate the exam experience. It helps to sleep and wake early, so the mind is rested. Eating a healthy breakfast on time will make candidates feel more alert and energetic, to tackle the morning session. In the last few days, it’s best not to cram in much new learning, and to consolidate what you have studied already.”
As for the strategy to deal with the examination, Prof Desai suggests that candidates allocate 45 minutes per subject.
The results of IIT-JEE 2010 will be out on May 26. This time, candidates will be provided online counselling. They will be asked to fill their preferences for the different IITs online. Seats will be allocated in order of rank and preference. The process of filling in the preference starts from May 27, and will continue till June 9.
Counselling for SC/ST/PD/DS candidates it will be on June 9 and 10, and for OBC candidates on June 10 and 12.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=spacer}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}