JEE Main 2025 chemistry needs conceptual understanding; 5 tips to score high

NEW DELHI: The chemistry section of the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2025, demands a solid understanding of concepts with its diverse topics spanning physical, organic, and inorganic branches. With just one month left until the first session 1 of JEE Main 2025, now is the time to fine-tune your chemistry preparation.

This year’s exam demonstrated that chemistry can be a game-changer, with questions often drawn directly from NCERT textbooks and focusing on key concepts.

JEE Main 2025 session 1 will be conducted from January 21 to 31. Candidates aspiring to become engineers will have to appear for paper 1 (BE, BTech). The exam will comprise three sections – physics, chemistry, and mathematics.

5 tips to crack JEE Main chemistry 2025

Here are five strategies to ace the chemistry section of JEE Main exam 2025, according to P Sindhura, director, Narayana Educational Institutions.

Give priority to NCERT textbooks

For JEE Main Chemistry, NCERT textbooks are essential. Most questions, whether from Physical, Organic, or Inorganic Chemistry, are closely tied to the content in these books. Focus on understanding the concepts, reactions, and mechanisms presented. For Inorganic Chemistry, make sure to thoroughly memorise key facts, periodic trends, and the properties of elements.

Master reaction mechanisms and formulas

In Organic Chemistry, it's vital to grasp the reaction mechanisms. Understand the step-by-step progression of reactions instead of simply memorising the results. Similarly, in Physical Chemistry, focus on mastering key formulas and concepts related to areas like Thermodynamics, Chemical Kinetics, and Electrochemistry. Create a formula sheet and review it regularly to keep them at the forefront of your mind.

Practice previous year papers

Chemistry questions in JEE Main tend to follow recurring patterns. Solving previous year papers will give you an idea of the types of questions and the level of difficulty. This practice helps improve your speed and highlights important topics such as Coordination Compounds, Mole Concept, and Chemical Bonding. Familiarity with past papers boosts confidence on exam day.

Focus on high-weightage topics

Plan your study time around chapters that hold the most weight. In physical chemistry, prioritise electrochemistry, thermodynamics, and states of matter. For organic chemistry, focus on general organic chemistry (GOC), aldehydes and ketones, and biomolecules. In inorganic chemistry, devote more time to coordination chemistry, periodic table trends, and chemical bonding.

Take mock tests and revise regularly

Mock tests are crucial for evaluating your preparation. Take regular time mock tests to improve both speed and accuracy. After each test, analyse your mistakes and work on weak areas. Additionally, ensure you keep revising regularly to retain information. Chemistry requires both memorisation and conceptual understanding, so consistent revision is key to keeping concepts fresh.