Reflections on the 2023 April JEE Mains Exam: A Difficult Alerting Paper

My exam took place on April 12, 2023. As the only morning shift was scheduled on that day, I entered the test room with a sense of confidence, having thoroughly prepared for the Chemistry NCERT and solidifying my knowledge in Physics and Mathematics. My previous January attempt had been promising, setting a strong foundation for the upcoming JEE Advanced preparations. Two weeks before the JEE Mains, I started taking mock tests, my scores consistently ranging from 270 to 280, even in the toughest of tests.

Mathematics - A Challenging Section

When the exam commenced, I generously tackled the Mathematics section first, a field in which I felt most comfortable. The first three questions were sufficient to determine the difficulty of the paper. I reassured myself, saying 'paper is tough, remain calm.' I reflected that the questions resembled both JEE Advanced and JEE Mains, albeit with a higher difficulty level. Unlike Allen’s mock tests, every question required approximately ten minutes to solve. In one hour, I managed to complete only 6 to 7 questions. It soon became apparent that this was a low-scoring paper, but I refused to be disheartened by my Mathematics performance. Instead, I swiftly transitioned to Physics.

Physics - An Easy and Familiar Section

Physics was easier than my previous January attempt. In just 40 minutes, I managed to solve 23 questions. However, I left the assertion/reason questions out, knowing they were my weakest link. Transitioning to the Chemistry section, I had enough time to briefly review the Mathematics paper. Upon glancing at the Chemistry paper, I experienced a wave of disappointment. The entire paper was statement-based or assertion/reason-based, requiring significant mental effort.

Chemistry - A Complex Challenge

Chemistry posed a difficult challenge, as almost all questions required deep thought and understanding. Organic Chemistry, previously a strong point, proved complex this time. The Mathematics section posed another significant challenge, especially the matrices and determinants questions, which required around 30 minutes for just one question. While initially disappointed, I decided not to dwell on the poor performance in Mathematics and quickly solved some questions in the remaining 30 minutes.

Final Scores and Percentiles

I ended up solving a total of 56 questions: 23 in Physics, 23 in Chemistry, and 10 in Mathematics. The difficulty of the exam became evident when I calculated my marks—174 in total, with only 35 points in Mathematics. This was disconcerting to say the least. However, when the results were released, I was pleasantly surprised to find a 99.34 percentile at 174 marks. My Mathematics score of 99.36 percentile at 35 marks highlighted the paper's challenging nature.

Personal Reflection and Future Aspirations

Reflecting on this experience, I am neither overly happy nor overly disappointed. The unexpected Mathematics paper forced me to recognize the unpredictable nature of these exams. My rank of 5287, based on my January attempt, provided a much-needed morale boost. I shifted my focus towards cracking JEE Advanced and impart my best wishes to fellow aspirants, hoping they find success.

P.S.

Please ignore any grammatical errors. Thank you for reading!