Have you been facing a lot of pressure and stress lately due to the upcoming NEET exams? It is natural to be worried before you appear for one of the most important competitive entrance exams held in India for medical students. With more than 14 lakh applicants, the increasing competition for getting into the best medical colleges all over the country can definitely lead to candidates experiencing distress.
This calls for the proper strategy & planning to reduce the stress and make the preparation procedure streamlined. We are here to cover all the important strategic methods that you need to know before you appear for NEET.
First, let us understand the NEET exam pattern.
Formerly known as the All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT), the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is the entrance exam conducted by the National Test Agency (NTA). It is for students wishing to get admission to medical or dental courses provided by various medical colleges around the country.
NEET is held for both undergraduate and postgraduate medical courses, and students who are able to clear these entrance examinations are eligible to get admission into different public and private medical colleges based on their cutoffs and ranks. Clearing the NEET is also helpful for students aiming to pursue a medical degree abroad, as qualifying in this examination is a part of the eligibility criteria in various foreign universities.
The NEET Undergraduate (UG) examination is a one-tier pen, and paper-based test with objective-type (MCQs) questions based on Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (Zoology & Botany) subjects. There are a total of 200 questions in the exam, out of which 180 questions need to be attempted by the students in a total of 3 and 20 mins hours (200 minutes). The exam holds a total weightage of 720 marks, with 180 marks each for Physics, Chemistry, Botany, and Zoology.
The marking scheme for NEET-UG includes 4 marks for every correct answer and a deduction of 1 mark for every wrong answer. No marks are given in case a question is unattempted or unanswered.
Below, we have mentioned some steps you can follow to begin your preparation for NEET in a strategic manner.
Planning a timetable should be the first step before you begin your NEET preparation. Make a timetable that you can follow efficiently without getting exhausted due to long hours of just studying. Include breaks for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour after you have studied continuously for 2-3 hours.
Your timetable should be designed with more hours dedicated to subjects that may not be your strongest point. Make sure that the timetable helps you cover the entire NEET syllabus in time, with sufficient days left for revision and practice before you appear for the examination.
While it is well known that the syllabus to be prepared before appearing for NEET is vast, it is still crucial to cover it as much as you can. It must be ensured that during your preparation, you do not avoid or miss any chapter/topic that is a part of the syllabus. The syllabus for NEET-UG includes all the topics from Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (Botany, Zoology) that have been covered in the NCERT books for Classes 11 and 12.
You can see the official NEET syllabus of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology released by the NTA on the given link.
NEET examination is held for a duration of 3 hours and 20 minutes. It is essential that you are able to manage these 200 minutes well enough by attempting and answering all the 180 questions that are asked in the exam. Efficient time management means having the appropriate speed and accuracy while solving all the questions in the given time.
To practise and ensure proper time management, candidates can solve sample papers within the time limit of 190 minutes (10 minutes less than the actual time) and make changes in their speed and accuracy required in whichever subject in the exam. The 10 minutes would be compensation for time wasted due to some unexpected reasons. If everything goes well in the exam, you will have a feeling of having 10 minutes extra, which will increase your confidence.
Solving sample papers or mock tests available for NEET-UG is one of the very important strategic approaches that can be useful in helping students guarantee stronger preparation and accuracy. As mentioned before, time management during the exam can also be ensured by attempting sample papers within the set limit of 3 hours. Solving sample papers can also help you ensure that you have covered all the parts of the syllabus of each subject, and in case you have missed any, you can cover them in time before the exam.
Make sure that you have access to the answer keys for the sample papers you solve in order to check, understand, and rectify your mistakes so that you do not repeat them in the actual exam.
It is important for candidates appearing in NEET-UG to understand the significance of preparing each of the three subjects well. Discriminating among the subjects can lead to a weaker preparation and an unnecessary loss of marks. Even if you have a stronger grip on any one or all the subjects, it is crucial that you do not ignore any topics or put in less practice in comparison to others. Similarly, while attempting the question paper in the exam, ensure that you attempt questions for all the subjects with equal concentration.
When it comes to preparing for the NEET Undergraduate examination, the building up of stress and pressure on the candidates can lead to them compromising their physical and mental health while being over-occupied with studying. It is crucial that all candidates take regular breaks and perform some amount of physical activity every day during their preparatory period to avoid any deterioration of their health.
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