I may not be a topper, but I cracked JEE Advanced after failing badly once. if you’re genuinely stuck on PYQs and don’t know how to go about it,i hope this might help.. LONG POST AHEAD !

My Background (Read this first)

Didn’t even know what JEE was in class 11. Started prepping midway through 12th. Just watched lectures, made notes, zero revision, zero PYQs.
Scored 25 marks, 60 percentile, didn’t even qualify Advanced.

Took a drop. Changed everything.
Focused only on revision, PYQs, and mock analysis. Covered just 45–50% syllabus for adv and 70-80% for mains , but did it deeply.

Final result: 174 marks in Mains (97.4%ile)
Cracked Advanced with 5855 rank.

Now listen to me
Most people mess up PYQs because they jump into them randomly – either right after a chapter is “done” in coaching or when they feel guilty for not solving questions. They treat it like an optional task, something to “finish”. That’s where it goes wrong.

The truth is: PYQs are not hard — we just do them at the wrong time and in the wrong way.

Here’s exactly how I did it during my drop year. This is what actually worked.

Step 1 – Make long notes during the chapter
While the chapter is going on in class, make full notes along with the teacher. Include all concepts, derivations, examples solved in class, and any doubts your teacher cleared that you might forget later. Don’t just watch or listen – write everything properly. This becomes your base for the building you’re creating.

Step 2 – Do two revisions the same day you complete the chapter

• First revision: Go over your full notes once. Read all theory again, try to understand the derivations and practice them by hand, and solve the questions your teacher did in class. Not mentally, actually solve them again in a rough nb.

• Second revision: Now make a separate short formula sheet. This is not a summary of the whole chapter. Just write the formulas, important exceptions, and anything that’s useful to revise quickly later. Keep it to one or two pages max. These formula sheets will be your main revision tools later on. The quality of these sheets will decide if you crack jee or regret later. (You will make bad formula sheets initially, but by the 3rd/4th chapter you would get it.)

Step 3 – Wait 1 week, then start PYQs

This is important. Let the chapter settle in your head for a few days. Then, exactly 7 days later, do this:

• Skim your long notes for 15–20 minutes. Just enough to refresh your memory.

• Then revise your formula sheet properly – understand every formula and what it’s used for. Not just reading, actually trying to recall them while reading. If done right, this will take 20-30 mins.

Once you’re done, now it’s time to start PYQs.

Step 4 – Do Mains + Advanced PYQs in one session

• First, solve around 40+ Mains-level PYQs from that chapter. Just sit down and go through them one after the other.

• After a break, solve 10+ or more Advanced-level PYQs of the same chapter.

Don’t worry if some of them feel difficult or you get stuck — that’s the point of this first full cycle. This step is where you start seeing how concepts are actually asked in real papers. Take your time, and don’t rush the process. This cycle will feel overwhelming and make you reconsider your decision about giving jee, but trust me on this, things will become siginifiacntly easier after this cycle. This cycle is the resistance you have to pay.

Step 5 – Repeat after 1–2 weeks

Now do the same thing again. This time it will feel much more familiar and easy.

• Open your formula sheet

• Revise it properly

• Then do 60+ Mains PYQs (even repeated ones are okay – it’s about recognition)

• Then 10–15 Advanced PYQs

By now, you’ll start recognizing question patterns, and your brain will naturally link formulas and concepts to different types of problems. This makes your future revisions easier and faster.

This is the same cycle I repeated 5–6 times for most chapters. Not because someone told me to, but because after failing badly in 12th, I realized this was the only method where I wasn’t forgetting things every week.

Once I followed this, my confidence slowly started building. Chapters I used to avoid started becoming easier. And most importantly – I wasn’t scared of PYQs anymore.

Try this whole method for just one chapter yourself. One full cycle. You’ll feel the difference yourself.

Formula sheets are/will be your best friends and holy grail through this journey. Dont waste time on long notes again and again. If you need my formula sheets: here

If you need my help in making formula sheets or choosing which chapters to begin with, feel free to ask in the comments. I’ve been through the same situation, so happy to help.