How JEE Main Toppers Spend Their Last 2 Days Before the Exam
JEE Main toppers from IITs and NITs share their final day strategies. From focused revision to avoiding panic, learn what works and what to skip in the crucial 48 hours before exam day.
AC Team
With JEE Main 2026 just days away, lakhs of students across India are entering the most nerve-wracking phase of their preparation. Coaching centres empty out, hostel rooms transform into quiet revision zones, and one question dominates every conversation: "Are you ready?"
The truth is, the final two days before JEE Main are not about cramming new chapters or solving complex problems. They are about staying calm, revising smart, and trusting the months of hard work you have already put in.
We spoke with students from IIT Bombay, IIT BHU, IIT Madras, and various NITs to understand what they actually did in those final 48 hours. Their strategies might surprise you.
Trust Your Preparation, Not New Topics
Shivam Kumar Sah, now studying Mechanical Engineering at IIT BHU, made a clear choice in his final days. He stayed away from new material.
"JEE Main is not just about deep concepts. It is also about speed and retention. Since the exam is time-bound and many questions are repeated or very similar, remembering things quickly becomes important," he explains.
Every morning, Shivam revised formulas, facts, and points that required memorization rather than deep thinking. For Physics and Mathematics, he limited practice to JEE Main-level questions to maintain speed and accuracy.
His approach on exam day was equally practical. "I started with Chemistry because it usually involves fewer calculations. Then I moved on to Physics. I attempted Mathematics at the end since it is more time-consuming."
Most important? He only focused on questions he felt confident about.
Digital Resources Over Textbooks
Bavishya, a Biotechnology student at IIT Madras, admits the final week brought stress. "Bit stressed, trying to mug up everything," he says, describing the anxiety most students feel.
Instead of thick textbooks, he turned to YouTube videos for last-minute concept clarity. "Watching YouTube videos rather than reading books to understand concepts" became his go-to method.
He also adopted a selective problem-solving approach. "Went through all questions once, segregated based on difficulty and solved from easy to difficult ones."
Crucially, he decided not to chase every tough question. "Learning the difficult concepts felt like it was better to skip that one question than forget how to solve the 3 basic ones asked."
His focus shifted to efficiency. "Learning tricks to solve arithmetics, hints on identifying reactions and shortcuts to avoid using long equations."
Stop Taking Mock Tests
Here is something most students get wrong. A student from NIT Trichy recalls that the biggest mistake many peers made was attempting full-length mock tests till the very last day.
"Mocks are useful, but taking too many in the final three days just increases anxiety. I stopped mocks and only analysed my previous mistakes," the student shares.
Sleep deprivation did more harm than good. An IIT Kanpur first-year student says he consciously cut down on discussions about cut-offs, ranks and percentile predictions.
"The moment you start calculating what score you need, panic sets in. In the last few days, I avoided Telegram groups and coaching chats completely."
Mock Analysis, Not Mock Marathon
Sparsh Somani from IIT Bombay took a different route. His final stretch was defined by mock tests, but with detailed analysis.
"About 15 days before the exam, I started giving only JEE Main-level mock tests, roughly one test every two days," he says.
The day after each mock was reserved for reflection. "I used the next day to revise the concepts I had forgotten or questions I had answered incorrectly in the test."
To make this structured, Sparsh maintained a dedicated notebook for analysis. "After each test I noted down my mistakes, important concepts, and any new or tricky points I learned."
Before every subsequent mock, he revised this notebook to ensure he did not repeat the same errors. Alongside mock analysis, Chemistry revision remained constant. "I regularly read NCERT for Chemistry in between my mock tests, especially for theory and factual details."
What Toppers Avoided in the Final Days
Students from IITs and NITs shared a clear list of what not to do:
- Junk and processed food were strictly avoided. Maintaining good health was the top priority.
- Sleep was non-negotiable. Around 8 to 9 hours every day helped them stay fresh and focused.
- Fixating on marks scored in the final few mock tests was avoided. Instead of stressing over numbers, the focus remained on learning from each paper.
- Very difficult or unfamiliar mock papers were skipped during the last few days. Preparation was limited to previous year JEE Main papers.
- Starting untouched chapters just because they appeared "small" was the worst thing to do. New topics rarely stick in the last week and only confuse what you already know.
Several students also warn against ignoring health. "Falling sick right before the exam is more common than people realise," says an IIT Delhi student, who ensured proper meals and rest in the final week.
Exam Day: Stick to What You Know
On exam day, staying calm was the primary goal for Sparsh. "I tried to keep myself as calm and composed as possible. I slept early, around 9:30 pm."
Though nervousness made it difficult to fall asleep, he ensured adequate rest. After waking up, he consciously avoided intensive revision. "I avoided revising books or short notes again, as I didn't want to create unnecessary pressure. However, I briefly revised a few small points and concepts that I generally tended to forget."
Emotional support also played a role. "I went to the exam centre with my mother, which helped me stay relaxed."
Once the exam began, Sparsh stuck rigidly to what he had practiced for two years. "I began the paper with Chemistry, followed by Physics, and attempted Mathematics at the end."
His focus remained on execution rather than experimentation. "I focused on staying calm and executing my practiced strategy rather than trying anything new on the exam day."
The Real Secret: Knowing When to Stop
The last few days before JEE Main are about consolidation, confidence and calm, not last-minute heroics. Whether through quiet revision, selective problem-solving, or simply trusting months of preparation, students who perform well often do so by knowing when to stop.
As one student summed it up, the final days don't decide how much you know. They decide how well you use what you already know.
So if JEE Main is around the corner for you, take a deep breath. Trust your preparation. Revise what you know. Sleep well. And walk into that exam hall with the confidence that you have done enough.
