Hello future doctors. Biology is a non-negotiable subject in the NEET exam. If you do not score well in Physics it can be compensated by chemistry and bio. But if you don’t score well in Bio, you are doomed.
As I have always said, before asking the ‘Dos’ for a topic, we must ask the ‘Do Nots’. So here I am, with a compiled list of the Do-Nots of biology. In this blog, we’ll discuss the top 10 mistakes to avoid while studying or solving the NEET Biology section.
Using anything other than NCERTS:
Many NEET aspirants underestimate the power of NCERT Biology textbooks. You can read any amount of coaching modules you want, you will just be wasting your time. Biology is directly from the NCERT, it has been proven every year.
Stick to NCERTs and repeat and revise as many times as possible. 360 marks based on just two textbooks, be smart about these marks.
Giving biology 50% of your time:
Yes, Biology holds the most weightage. But this does not entail that it must be given more time. Biology is a time saving subject, you have very limited material to remember. The time saved must be used for conceptual and practice based subjects like Physics and Organic Chemistry. Do not waste the time that you save on extra useless BIology resources.
Not memorizing:
I know that understanding is important, but it is not enough. Sadly, the competition is so immense that concept clarity is not enough to get you through. You must remember each and every word of the NCERT to secure a seat in MBBS college. Start memorizing from the start, understanding will come along.
Ignoring Diagrams and Illustrations:
There are a lot of diagram based questions in NEET. And by diagram I don’t just mean diagrams. You can also get an image question asking you to identify the structure in the image. And all these images are taken from the NCERTs. You cannot afford to skip images or diagrams and lose 4 marks in the exam.
Skipping the scientists page or the data included:
As I said, NCERT should be fitted into your head. Word-to-word, front-to-back. Don’t exclude anything, not even the scientists or the data. Not a lot of questions have been asked on the data because of the frequent updates. But you never know what might show up in the paper.
Lack of Practice with different types of questions:
Statement based questions, Assertion-Reason Questions, Match The following. These were asked a lot in the recent NEET paper. Students who remember the information in the NCERT also fail to apply it in the paper. The only way around this is by practice. Make sure that you include all these types of questions while practicing MCQs for Biology.
Not Using Mnemonics and Memory Techniques:
Yes, reading and rote-learning will help you memorize the content for a while. But the problem arises when you realize that you won’t be able to remember two books worth of content over the course of two years. This is where mnemonics step in. Don’t feel afraid to use dumb and idiotic mnemonics. Anything that helps you remember the information and recollect it quickly during exams is welcome. Don’t be rigid in your ways, accept mnemonics.
No Revision:
As I said, Biology is memory based. You have to repeat, repeat, repeat. You cannot remember stuff in the long term without adequate revision. Revision is tedious, I know. But it is the key to success in NEET. Revise from time to time to ensure that the information is fresh. It will also avoid the stress of suddenly realizing that you have forgotten all that you learnt.
Not Reading the Question Properly:
Missing out on words such as ‘NOT’ or ‘EXCEPT’ can result in solving the question incorrectly. Nothing hurts more than messing up a question you knew the answer to. Read the question very clearly, underline the keywords, look at all the options and only then answer.
Taking Biology Lightly:
Although Biology is the simplest subject, do not ignore it. As I said, scoring in Biology is non-negotiable. Make sure that you revise biology everyday. Sit for a shorter time than you would sit for Physics or Chemistry but make sure that you sit everyday. Keep revising. Remember, repetition is the key.
Conclusion:
As I said, Biology is the easiest section. You cannot afford to make mistakes here. Check if you are doing something now and correct it right away. Try to start studying smartly early on in your preparation. It will really benefit you later.
All the best, dear aspirant.
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