Yes, it may be true to an extent that an early bird catches the worm, but is it the same case when it comes to preparing for competitive exams? Does preparing early for NEET and JEE means a student will nab a higher score? Well, to be precise, it depends on how and when one studies.

Preparing for NEET and JEE calls for an unparalleled dedication and a robust study strategy. Given that the competition is stern, students must leave no stone unturned and no room for carelessness when preparing for any of these exams. Along with a good study strategy, one must also get enrolled in a reputed coaching institute to crack the exam. Having said that, some of the reputed coaching institutes like Aakash conduct annual scholarship exams for class 8, 9 and 10 – Aakash National Talent Hunt Exam (ANTHE). This scholarship program offers 100% tuition, admission and registration fee waiver to those who secure a rank between 01-50.

So, if you are aiming to become a doctor or an engineer, we advise that you start preparing as early as from standard 8^th. Starting this early will let you have a strong hold on the competitive exam pattern and the syllabus as well.

Why Is It the Ideal Time?

As a majority of students start preparing for competitive exams from standard 11^th onwards, beginning the preparation from class 8^th will give you an extra edge over those students. This early approach will provide you with enough time to grasp all the concepts well and also get familiar with the changes that happen in the question paper pattern over the years.

The Advantages of Preparing for Competitive Exams from 8^th Standard

Less Pressure

When compared to those who start preparing for the competitive exams from standard 11^th onwards, the pressure on you is relatively less. While others will be appearing for the examination in two years, you have good five years to prepare for the same. This will automatically take the pressure off your mind, and you will better be able to gauge the concepts and formulas.

Scope to Learn from Mistakes

Yet another significant advantage of preparing for competitive exams from standard 8^th is that you will have ample time to make mistakes and learn from them. Rigorous practice and hard work over the years will help you identify your weak areas and give you sufficient time to work on them. Be sure of making mock tests a part of your study strategy to get hold of the examination pattern, its time-boundedness, and difficulty level of the questions.

Ample Time in Hand

One of the greatest advantages of starting the preparation from standard 8^th is that you will have an ample amount of time in hand. The extra time that you have can be well utilized in experimenting with various strategies to approach and solve the question paper. In addition, you also have three attempts to aim for the scholarship offered by Aakash Institute. Remember, bagging a scholarship will not only back your coaching fees but will also give your confidence level a push. So, go ahead and apply for the scholarship exam for class 8 to give your preparation a solid backing.

Essential Tips for Class 8^th Students

• Refer to the right books and be selective about your study material
• Bank on NCERT books for most parts of the syllabus
• Have all the details of the syllabus prescribed by NTA on your fingertips
• Analyze the question paper trend by referring to previous years’ papers. This will let you have an idea of the topics that are covered every year and those that are mostly ignored
• Prepare a time-table and be sure to follow it religiously
• Work harder towards strengthening the concepts that carry more points
• Keep revising the stronger subjects while offering equal importance to the weaker ones
• Have all the important formulas noted down at one place for quick reference
• Solve as many mock tests as you can

Stay focused, motivated and inclined towards your goal and start preparing for your dream today onwards. All the best!