Studying Hard but JEE & NEET Marks Not Improving? Change the Way You Prepare

Every year, I meet students who genuinely work hard but remain disappointed with their test scores.

“Sir, I am studying for eight or ten hours every day. Why are my marks still not improving?”

After more than 18 years of teaching and mentoring JEE and NEET aspirants, I have realised that this problem is more common than students think.

And in many cases, the solution is not to study for another two hours.

The solution is to change what happens during the hours you are already studying.

A student may read a chapter several times and feel confident about it. But when a question appears in a test, suddenly the concept becomes difficult to apply. This happens because reading and problem-solving are two different skills.

Competitive examinations do not ask how many times you read a chapter. They test whether you can use what you have learned.

This is why I prefer a simple approach: after studying a concept, solve questions without looking at the solution. Start with a manageable daily target and increase it gradually.

But solving questions alone is also not enough.

The most important question comes after you make a mistake: Why did I get this wrong?

Was the concept weak? Did you forget a formula? Was there a calculation mistake? Did you read the question incorrectly? Or did you understand the theory but fail to apply it?

I recommend maintaining a small Weak Areas Register for exactly this purpose.

Write down important mistakes and their reasons. Revisit this register regularly. A mistake that you understand and correct today should not keep costing you marks in future tests.

The same approach should be followed with mock tests.

Many students give a test, check their score and immediately move to the next chapter. I believe this wastes one of the biggest benefits of testing.

A mock test is not only there to tell you your marks.

It should tell you what to improve next.

Look at the questions you could not solve, the ones where you wasted time and the mistakes that could have been avoided. Your test analysis should influence what you study during the following week.

Previous-year questions should also become part of regular preparation. PYQs help you understand how familiar concepts can appear in an examination. Along with them, keep your fundamentals strong, use NCERT carefully where relevant and revise regularly instead of continuously collecting new study material.

There is another habit I have observed among students.

They study for 10 or 12 hours when motivation is high, but cannot maintain the same routine for the next few days.

JEE and NEET preparation is not built on occasional extraordinary days.

It is built on ordinary days repeated with discipline.

A student studying consistently, practising questions, analysing mistakes and revising weak areas is moving forward even if the daily study-hour number does not look impressive.

Teachers and coaching institutes can provide guidance, structure and resources. But eventually, the student has to convert all of that into action.

So, at the end of your day, don't only ask:

“How many hours did I study?”

Ask yourself:

“Which part of my preparation became better today?”

If you can answer that question regularly, you are measuring something far more important than study hours.

Hard work matters. But hard work becomes far more powerful when you know exactly where it is taking you.

— Priyank Joshi (PJ Sir)
JEE & NEET Chemistry Educator | Kota
18+ Years of Teaching & Mentoring Experience