rediffGURU Radheshyam Zanwar, founder of Zanwar Classes, offers advice to students preparing for engineering college admissions and competitive exams.
Have you been struggling with IIT-JEE or MHTCET preparation?
What should you do if you fail to clear Class 12 or IIT-JEE Main?
rediffGURU Radheshyam Zanwar, founder of Zanwar Classes, offers advice to students preparing for engineering college admissions and competitive exams.
Amit: My kid is targeting JEE 2027, has enrolled in a local coaching institute and has taken admission in a CBSE school integrated with the institute, where attending regular school is not required; only one has to go for practicals for 10 to 12 days before boards.
Concerns with the coaching + integrated model:
Issues with school:
Note: My kid does not want to take coaching after school as it will become too hectic, leaving no time for self-study, and also does not want to take a drop year after Classs 12. Please guide what is the best option or any other way available.
Your concerns are very valid and reflect the common dilemma many parents face when balancing JEE preparation with school requirements.
The coaching plus integrated school model provides focused JEE preparation, structured guidance, and more self-study time, but it also involves risks like limited school exposure, weaker board preparation, lack of extracurricular activities, and challenges such as Letters of Recommendation (LORs) if studying abroad is considered.
Conversely, regular school ensures proper CBSE coverage, sports, activities, and a social environment, but it may require more time, dilute JEE focus, and lead to distractions.
Since your child is clear about not wanting after-school coaching or a drop year, the integrated model with strong self-discipline, periodic revision of the board syllabus, and some planned extracurricular activities appears more aligned with the JEE goal.
To manage risks, maintain communication with the school about board eligibility, ensure consistent board preparation from NCERT, and supplement missing exposure, like sports or peer interaction, in controlled ways outside of school.
This approach allows your child to stay on track for JEE while minimising disruptions.
Be relaxed and be with your kid always. If preparation is done in the right way, there is no need to take a drop year.
Anonymous: Sir, I have given MHTCET exam this year.
I got 91.75 %tile, but I am not getting admission in top colleges that I was aiming for, so should I take drop MHTCET 2026?
The CAP rounds are now over. Better to try with a spot round.
With the mentioned percentile, you couldn’t get admission to top colleges, but it was surely possible in mid-tier colleges.
The question remains unclear: Why have you not chosen a better mid-tier college with the preferred branch?
Rethink the decision of taking a drop year for CET. Better to try with the management quota in a reputed college for the preferred branch.
Anonymous: Sir, my passing year for Class 12 is 2024 but I wasn't able to get 75 per cent, so I again gave the improvement examination.
But then I didn't qualify JEE Advanced and did not get my dream college.
Now my question is, if I will again appear through NIOS as a fresh candidate, will I be eligible for JEE Advanced?
As a second dropper is not allowed, so in order to meet the full eligibility criteria, should I appear for NIOS?
You cannot reset your JEE eligibility by appearing again through NIOS as a fresh candidate.
JEE main and JEE advanced eligibility depend on the year of your first class 12 attempt, which is 2024 in your case.
A second attempt through NIOS or any other board will still be considered as a repeat, not as a fresh first attempt.
Since JEE Advanced allows only two consecutive attempts (the year you pass + the next year), your eligibility will remain tied to 2024 and 2025.
So, appearing through NIOS will not extend or restart your eligibility window.
Final suggestion: After two unsuccessful attempts, it is better to keep a safe distance while doing exercise for JEE exams and take admission to your preferred course in any reputed private engineering college to save your time and money. The final decision will be yours.
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