Dear Abhinandan,

It is always a good idea to start preparing for IIT-JEE at the beginning of 11th standard. However there is a way out if you are among those who started late * Try to capture at least 80 % of the total syllabus. However, if you have started your preparation late then it is always a good idea to cover minimum 60% of the total course and be thorough with it instead of trying of to study the entire curriculum * Incorporate difficult topics if you already have a sound understanding of them. If not, start with the easier topics and master them. Once you are done with the relatively easier and interesting topics, tackle the difficult ones * Make sure that you use the right reference and study material as it can make a tremendous difference to your scores. It is recommended to study from the books which contain numerous solved questions. Focus on the method of solving the problems instead of simply mugging up the answers * Spend the initial few months in revising the basic concepts learnt in standard 9th and 10th * Ensure that you study concepts like algebra, mechanics and stoichiometry extensively as not only are they high scoring but they also form the basis of several other topics * At the time of examination avoid the urge to start solving the questions as soon as you receive the paper. Instead, quickly scan the paper and mark the questions you can easily answer. Begin with them * After you are done with the questions you knew by heart, handle others.