For students who wish to pursue MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) or BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) after their 12th examination in India or abroad, NEET UG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test), conducted by NTA (National Testing Agency), is the only medical entrance examination.
With such high competition, it’s very important to not lose track and stay focused on your goal of bagging a seat in a prestigious medical college.
I understand the situation because I’ve been there! Currently, I’m an MBBS student and a former NEET aspirant so I’ve been in your shoes and know the amount of preparation, stress, and struggle one goes through in that phase.
In this blog, I talk about the strategies aspirants need to follow to achieve excellent results and crack NEET 2023 with flying colours. It’s a natural and human tendency to lose motivation and inspiration from time to time. Throughout this guide, I show you how you can stay focused and consistent in the best possible manner.
As a medical student pursuing MBBS myself, I’ve been in your shoes and know the amount of preparation, stress, and struggle one goes through in that phase. In this eBook, I talk about the strategies aspirants need to follow to crack NEET with flying colours. It’s a natural and human tendency to lose motivation and inspiration from time to time. Throughout this guide, I show you how you can stay focused and consistent in the best possible manner.
How to Crack NEET 2023 in First Attempt Without Coaching?
1. Get familiar with the syllabus
The NEET exam is based on the NCERT textbooks for classes 11th and 12th. Make sure you are familiar with the syllabus for the NEET exam.
PHYSICS
CLASS 11
Chapter 1: Physical World
Chapter 2: Units and Measurements
Chapter 3: Motion in a Straight Line
Chapter 4: Motion in a Plane
Chapter 5: Laws of Motion
Chapter 6: Work, Energy, and Power
Chapter 7: System of Particles and Rotational Motion
Chapter 8: Gravitation
Chapter 9: Mechanical Properties of Solids
Chapter 10: Mechanical Properties of Fluids
Chapter 11: Thermal Properties of Matter
Chapter 12: Thermodynamics
Chapter 13: Kinetic Theory
Chapter 14: Oscillations
Chapter 15: Waves
CLASS 12
Chapter 1: Electric Charges and Fields
Chapter 2: Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance
Chapter 3: Current Electricity
Chapter 4: Moving Charges and Magnetism
Chapter 5: Magnetism and Matter
Chapter 6: Electromagnetic Induction
Chapter 7: Alternating Current
Chapter 8: Electromagnetic Waves
Chapter 9: Ray Optics and Optical Instruments
Chapter 10: Wave Optics
Chapter 11: Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter
Chapter 12: Atoms
Chapter 13: Nuclei
Chapter 14: Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits
Chapter 15: Communication Systems
CHEMISTRY
CLASS 11
Chapter 1: Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry
Chapter 2: Structure of Atom
Chapter 3: Classification of Elements and Periodicity in Properties
Chapter 4: Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure
Chapter 5: States of Matter
Chapter 6: Thermodynamics
Chapter 7: Equilibrium
Chapter 8: Redox Reactions
Chapter 9: Hydrogen
Chapter 10: The s-Block Elements
Chapter 11: The p-Block Elements
Chapter 12: Organic Chemistry – Some Basic Principles & Techniques
Chapter 13: Hydrocarbons
Chapter 14: Environmental Chemistry
CLASS 12
Chapter 1: The Solid State
Chapter 2: Solutions
Chapter 3: Electrochemistry
Chapter 4: Chemical Kinetics
Chapter 5: Surface Chemistry
Chapter 6: General Principles and Processes of Isolation of Elements
Chapter 7: The p-Block Elements
Chapter 8: The d & f Block Elements
Chapter 9: Coordination Compounds
Chapter 10: Haloalkanes and Haloarenes
Chapter 11: Alcohols, Phenols, and Ethers
Chapter 12: Aldehydes, Ketones, and Carboxylic Acids
Chapter 13: Amines
Chapter 14: Biomolecules
Chapter 15: Polymers
Chapter 16: Chemistry in Everyday Life
BIOLOGY
CLASS 11
Chapter 1: The Living World
Chapter 2: Biological Classification
Chapter 3: Plant Kingdom
Chapter 4: Animal Kingdom
Chapter 5: Morphology of Flowering Plants
Chapter 6: Anatomy of Flowering Plants
Chapter 7: Structural Organisation in Animals
Chapter 8: Cell: The Unit of Life
Chapter 9: Biomolecules
Chapter 10: Cell Cycle and Cell Division
Chapter 11: Transport in Plants
Chapter 12: Mineral Nutrition
Chapter 13: Photosynthesis in Higher Plants
Chapter 14: Respiration in Plants
Chapter 15: Plant Growth and Development
Chapter 16: Digestion and Absorption
Chapter 17: Breathing and Exchange of Gases
Chapter 18: Body Fluids and Circulation
Chapter 19: Excretory Products and their Elimination
Chapter 20: Locomotion and Movement
Chapter 21: Neural Control and Coordination
Chapter 22: Chemical Coordination and Integration
CLASS 12
Chapter 1: Reproduction in Organisms
Chapter 2: Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants
Chapter 3: Human Reproduction
Chapter 4: Reproductive Health
Chapter 5: Principles of Inheritance and Variation
Chapter 6: Molecular Basis of Inheritance
Chapter 7: Evolution
Chapter 8: Human Health and Disease
Chapter 9: Strategies for Enhancement in Food Production
Chapter 10: Microbes in Human Welfare
Chapter 11: Biotechnology: Principles and Processes
Chapter 12: Biotechnology and its Applications
Chapter 13: Organisms and Populations
Chapter 14: Ecosystem
Chapter 15: Biodiversity and Conservation
Chapter 16: Environmental Issues
2. Prepare a realistic timetable (& stick to it!)
You should plan your study schedule and decide how long each session will last and when you will take breaks.
In addition, you can set daily, weekly, and monthly goals for yourself and try to achieve them within given deadlines.
The most important thing is not to try to follow anyone else’s timetable or formula for cracking NEET. The best way to succeed is to devise your own. Plan out your schedule based on your preferences.
3. Build a strategic study plan
Develop a strategy for exam preparation in your study plan. It’s important to organize your study plan around three main aspects: learn, review and practice.
- Start by reading a chapter from NCERT.
- After that, read from any other reference book.
- As you begin to understand concepts, practice MCQ questions and chapter-wise mock papers.
4. Focus on theory and conceptual clarity first
Theory is important to build your concepts. If your basics are clear then you can take up any question related to that topic. You can easily and efficiently solve all difficult questions once you’re well versed with theoretical concepts.
Break the syllabus into subjects, subjects into chapters, chapters into topics and topics into subtopics. Learning is made easier by doing this.
5. Clear your doubts then and there
Irrespective of whether it’s silly or not, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Many students hesitate to get their doubts resolved because they are worried about what others might think. You don’t need to worry! So please clear your doubts and write them down in a dedicated book if you wish.
Be bold and bring up your doubts to someone with a deeper understanding of the topic. This could be a teacher or a friend. Keep in mind that even the smallest of concepts can cost you your precious seat. As you probably know, even a single mark difference can have a significant influence on a candidate’s ranking.
6. Practise quality MCQs once you’re well-versed with the theory
Sort the syllabus by subjects, then by chapters, then by topics, then by subtopics. This organization makes learning easier. Upon gaining a thorough understanding of the syllabus, you can attempt full-syllabi mock tests.
Your focus should not be on the quantity of questions that you’re answering, but rather on the quality of them. In order to gain confidence, you should answer at least 100-150 questions from each chapter. Quality questions will help you comprehend the concepts better.
7. Practice the previous year’s question papers
For a better understanding of the pattern of NEET question papers, it is recommended to solve the previous year’s question papers.
When you are done completing any topic, be sure to practice the previous year’s questions. These will help you understand how the questions are framed.
The advantage of doing the previous year’s questions is knowing the trend of questions that remain the same year after year.
An appropriate number of previous year questions you should solve for the upcoming NEET 2023 would be 10-15 years.
On average, about 10-15 previously asked questions are repeated in NEET, either in the same format or in a modified version but with almost the same concept or solving method.
8. Be consistent in your preparation
Study sessions are often put off by students due to their uninterest in the subject, their busy schedules, or simply because the lesson is difficult. Avoid procrastinating. I repeat. When you procrastinate, you will be less effective in studying and less likely to succeed. Procrastination also leads to rushing, which is the primary cause of errors.
Don’t give up and stay consistent. It isn’t easy to pass the exam, but it isn’t impossible. It will not be easy to achieve your dreams, and there will always be people out there who will try to overtake you.
9. Revise the syllabus multiple times
When you don’t revise the topics you studied, it’s easy to forget what you learned. When you cover new topics, be sure to review old ones as well.
Revision methods I’ve found effective are:
Physics
- Having a formula notebook, made yourself, with formulas and important points for each chapter is the best way to revise.
- Nevertheless, if you haven’t made it, just go through the formulas and highlighted points in your textbook or notes.
- You should solve those questions that you weren’t able to answer in one go last time.
- You should always mark each question based on its difficulty level and the number of attempts you made to solve it, so that next time you can only attempt questions that you were unable to do the previous time.
Chemistry
- Just go through important points and formulas.
- A great idea is to make a set of flashcards with organic and inorganic reactions.
- Questions must be answered in the same way as in Physics.
Biology
- Just go through highlighted points from your notes or NCERT.
- Take a look at the chapter first and get an overview of it. After that, deepen your understanding of concepts and diagrams.
- You’ll remember the topic better if you explain diagrams and concepts to yourself.
10. Don’t give up when you face difficult chapters
You may be very strong in one chapter and weak in the other. Do not get discouraged by the same.
By beginning with the most difficult subject, even a slight improvement in your academic abilities and study sessions makes a significant difference.
It is advisable to begin the day with your most challenging subject since it will require the most effort and mental energy. You will find the rest much easier to complete once you have completed the hardest part.
Periodically track your progress with chapter-wise mock tests.
11. Don’t keep switching from one textbook to another
No matter how hard we try, we all make mistakes. After all, we are only human. A common mistake made by NEET aspirants is switching from one textbook to another.
The majority of students purchase two or more reference books for a subject in addition to NCERT books. These usually end up stacked on shelves. Without completing a chapter from either book, switching from one to the other leads to confusion. Rather than purchasing two or more reference books, purchase only the one you intend to use.
12. Use memory tools like mnemonics
During my preparation for Biology, I came across a lot of information that was difficult to remember by reading alone. Aside from creating my own mnemonics, I also found many online. It is however best to come up with your own mnemonics. As long as you remember, it’s all good!
Here are a few examples:
- To remember the order of taxa (from kingdom to species)
King Philip Came Over From Great Spain
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
- To remember the types of enzymes
Over The HILL
Oxidoreductases
Transferases
Hydrolases
Isomerases
Ligases
Lyases
- To remember stages of cell division (from interphase to telophase)
I Prefer Milk And Tea
Interphase
Prophase
Metaphase
Anaphase
Telophase
- To remember essential amino acids
Look There, Look There, VIP Man
Leucine
Threonine
Lysine
Tryptophan
Valine
Isoleucine
Phenylalanine
Methionine
13. Give yourself enough breaks
We are humans and not machines. Even machines require a short break to get back to work efficiently, so we too need to take some rest from time to time. Take breaks between study sessions if you want to maintain optimal concentration levels.
Our minds are capable of concentrating for a certain period of time. The mind is put under a great deal of stress during long-term preparations, which reduces concentration. Taking regular breaks will help students maintain their mental sharpness.
14. Eat healthy and stay hydrated
Make sure you take care of your health; you cannot afford to lose any time.
Make sure you consume a balanced diet. In a healthy diet, you get the right balance of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. It will not only refuel the body with nutrients and energy to ensure you’re ready for the day, but it will also help fulfil your body’s daily nutritional requirements.
An effective academic performance and improved health can be attributed to eating a healthy diet.
To stay hydrated and energetic, your body needs water. Your body needs eight glasses of water each day. Have a water bottle nearby when you’re studying.
15. Get enough sleep
I know this sounds cliché but it is very much needed. It is generally recommended that NEET aspirants sleep between 6-8 hours a night.
Academic performance and sleep have been linked in several scientific studies. Sleeping enough at reasonable times allows learners to perform well on tests and other assignments. Good grades also bring many other benefits, such as less stress.
Hope you found it helpful!
Goodluck Medicoholics! Until next time.
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