Here are the best ways to read, learn, and memorize NCERT Biology to maximize your score in NEET. These preparation study tips and tricks are surely going to boost your score.
It’s a well-known fact that NCERT is the Bible for NEET hence it is a must-have for the entrance exam preparation. It’s pretty much sufficient for NEET.
I appeared for NEET in 2019 and scored a 330/360 in Biology so you can indeed trust me on this.
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How to read NCERT Biology for NEET:
- Read every line of NCERT (classes 11 and 12) carefully with the utmost attention.
- Understand the concepts, instead of rote learning.
- Highlight important points that are frequently asked in NEET Biology.
- Make short notes for quick study and reference.
- Practice all the diagrams and give more importance to labeling.
- Revise frequently, it’s the key to score well.
Read every line carefully
Our topmost priority for NEET Biology must be NCERT. Hence, it’s essential to read it carefully with the utmost attention. Each and every line could be a potential question! NTA, National Testing Agency is laying special emphasis on NCERT.
Reading NCERT for a competitive entrance exam like NEET is very different from reading for boards.
When you’re preparing for NEET, it is important that you read it line to line in-depth and understand the hidden meaning behind it.
Moreover, don’t skip the scientist’s data in the beginning as well as the supplementary material (summary) at the end of each chapter. These are informative write-ups and questions can be asked from here as well.
Understand the topics thoroughly
Just reading will not suffice, one also needs to understand what they’re reading so that it becomes easy to recall and remember it. It’s very easy to remember things that you’ve understood.
If at all you don’t understand certain topics from your teacher’s explanation then you can always try alternative options.
I’d recommend watching YouTube or Khan Academy for topics that you’re not able to understand despite reading it multiple times. Illustrations and videos might give you a clear picture of the concept.
Videos are a great learning tool if you’re an auditory or kinesthetic learner. Illustrations and demonstrations in them can really help the information sink in. If time permits, you can take down notes of these videos as well.
Highlight
Make sure you highlight all the important and necessary terms, dates, and examples with a suitable highlighter.
Do not use a single colour highlighter. Use multiple colour ones and assign specific colour codes for different needs. Make sure you assign each colour for a specific purpose.
Doing this helps you revise quickly and also makes sure that you didn’t skip anything, despite revising at a faster pace. It will make your material easy to understand.
Use light colour highlighters for highlighting text for better readability. For example,
For highlighting important one-liners, use bright neon.
For highlighting important headlines, use pink.
For highlighting important dates, use orange.
For highlighting important terms and examples, use blue.
For highlighting miscellaneous and other things, use green.
Short notes
The next time you’re reading a chapter in biology, do this. While you’re reading a particular chapter, you will come across a few points that are not on your fingertips or anything that’s volatile and easy to forget.
Such points may also confuse you as they might be difficult to remember and recollect. For instance, there are hundreds of examples in the chapter ‘Morphology of Flowering Plants’.
Note these points and examples in a separate dedicated notebook. Also, do not write the exact lines from the NCERT textbook, just keywords are enough.
Read this notebook regularly, with time, it will help you increase your efficiency.
Moreover, you might find some extra informative material as and when you’re reading NCERT and solving MCQs. Write all the extra information in the textbook itself (in the space surrounding the text) or in the notebook. This helps in quick revision.
Make sure your notes are well presented as this will definitely motivate you to stay focused.
The day before NEET, this notebook will be your main revision package as it contains everything that you had a hard time remembering.
Diagrams
Biology, the study of life, is best understood by diagrams and illustrations. Diagrams play a vital role in the study of life, both theoretically and practically. Also, studying a diagram is more interesting and effective than a text paragraph in my opinion. In short, diagrams are a perfect way to visually conceptualize concepts.
Diagrams should be studied carefully because every diagram-based question asked in NEET is from NCERT itself. Each and every diagram, along with its labeling and description is important.
If time permits, I’d reckon you to draw whatever diagrams you’ve just studied, and label all the necessary parts to remember it in a better and more efficient way. Practicing and drawing neat and labeled diagrams can help you grasp the concepts quicker.
In conclusion, diagrams serve as a beneficial and useful tool in understanding theory through visual perception.
Revise
There’s no doubt that revision is the key.
Don’t revise more than what you’re capable of, it will only decrease your performance as it might get boring if you’re trying to revise everything in one go. Break your revision into pieces!
I learn things mostly by writing it down but guess what? everyone has their own learning style! I Find out what’s yours.
To achieve my score of 330/360, I used a lot of revision techniques such as mind maps, short notes, flashcards, watching video illustrations, and getting my batch mates to quiz me on the chapters!
Also, do note that it takes a lot of work to make flashcards but if used correctly (test it out and see if you find it useful), they can be very effective hence the time spent making them will definitely be worth it.
Past or previous year papers are another great way of revising. It gives you an honest opinion on where you stand and what you need to focus on currently.
I hope you found the above tips and tricks useful and will now have a better insight on how to read and learn Biology NCERT for NEET. Don’t keep it to yourself! Do share it with your classmates.
I have already written a detailed article on how to score atleast 300 in NEET Biology which includes preparation and revision strategy, chapterwise weightage and syllabus. Do check it out!
Good luck Medicoholics! Until next time.