Aspirants preparing for the CET or Common Entrance Test must refer to the best study materials and resources for exam success. The best books for CET preparation offer the candidates a clear understanding of the sections and subjects, helping them clear their basics and thoroughly examine the examination pattern.

Since many books are available for CET preparation, choosing those that feature solved papers and mocks and explaining basic concepts and questions with variable difficulty is crucial.

Moreover, the Maharashtra Common Entrance Test is one of India's most popular entrance examinations for admission into engineering courses. Every year, 4 to 5 lakh candidates appear for the exam, so competition is too high.

Therefore, candidates looking to secure good rankings in the examination must refer to the best CET exam preparation books and their 10+2 books. Read on to learn about the books that can help you with effective exam preparation, which experts in the field duly recommend. 

Subject-Wise Best Books

Since competition is too high, candidates must be prepared for CET. Be motivated, and use the best CET books with subject guides, along with their 10+2 books, to perform well. Recommended textbooks to prepare for different subjects covered in the examination are as follows:

Best Chemistry Books for CET Preparation

• MHT CET Triumph Chemistry (Target Publication)
• NCERT Class 11 and 12 Text Book
• Marvel Chemistry for MHT CET by Mayur Mehta, Chitra Joshi, Rekha Diwekar
• Complete Reference Manual MH-CET Chemistry (Arihant Publication)
• MHT CET Chemistry by Arihant Publishers
• Chemistry for MHT CET (MCQ) by Mayur Mehta and Chitra Joshi (Marvel Publication)

Best Physics Books for CET Preparation

• MHT CET Physics by AJ Bapat (Marvel Publication)
• NCERT Textbook for classes 11 and 12
• Concepts of Physics by H.C. Verma – Volumes 1 and 2
• MCQ Physics for MHT CET by A J Bapat (Marvel Publication)
• Complete Reference Manual MH-CET Physics M.K. Dikshit (Arihant Publication)

Best Mathematics Books for CET Preparation

• NCERT Text Books for Class 11 and 12
• MCQ Mathematics for MHT CET by Hemant G. Ainapure (Marvel Publication)
• Complete Reference Manual MH-CET Mathematics by Sushil Verma (Arihant Publication)

Reference Books for In-Depth Study

It is crucial to have the right CET exam book for CET preparation and refer to other materials to understand concepts better. These advanced study resources analyse topics in detail, helping candidates prepare well and be ready for all kinds of questions. Some well-known reference books for CET preparation include:

• Mathematics by R.D. Sharma

• Concepts of Physics by H.C. Verma

• Organic Chemistry by Morrison and Boyd

Besides these, students can choose reference books based on their understanding and difficulty level in the examination. Some other important books for reference are:

• MHT-CET PCM Online Tests Series

• MHT-CET Engineering Entrance Exam

• 24 Practice Sets MH CET

• Complete Reference Manual MH-CET

When choosing the best books, consider the following factors:

• Ensure your books are of the latest edition and feature updated content and information according to the prescribed latest CET syllabus.

• Choose books that cover all the major and minor aspects of the CET syllabus 2024.

• Choose easily comprehensible books.

·Make it a point to go for CET books with previous years’ question papers and sample papers required to practice for the entrance examination. You can also go for score booster books in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry, with each subject featuring more than 1000 MCQs and complete syllabus tests with detailed solutions and study plans. Ensure these books also provide important formulae, results, and shortcuts.

Research the books extensively before purchasing them. Go through their index to understand whether they are consistent with the syllabus requirements for the subject you want to prepare.

Question Banks and Previous Years’ Papers

Solving past papers and question banks can help with maximum exam practice, giving candidates a clear understanding of the examination’s difficulty level. These can help you practice questions based on the subject-wise weightage of the topics. Experts also recommended taking mock tests to understand the examination pattern and environment so you do not become nervous on the examination day. Practise questions, solve previous years’ test papers, and take mock tests. Besides understanding exam patterns and difficulty levels, candidates can gauge their preparation level and identify the areas where they need to focus more.

Solving the questions in the mock tests and papers from previous years can help candidates understand the common mistakes they are making and find solutions within the remaining time. This can also improve their problem-solving and time-management skills. Featuring quick reviews with flow charts and perfectly aligned with the latest syllabus, question banks are your go-to resource for CET preparation, offering a clear roadmap to success. Enhance your study efficiency with these tools that facilitate CET preparation like never before.

Prepare yourself thoroughly for the CET examination with question banks for Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry specifically designed to evaluate your exam readiness. Question banks make ideal CET preparation books because they feature a huge collection of MCQs covering varied topics and also strengthen your conceptual understanding with different topic tests designed for strong concept building. You can also find model tests in these books that can help you analyse your strengths and weakness, thus helping you refine your examination strategy.

However, when choosing books with previous years’ papers and question banks, look for those that include several years' actual CET questions categorized topic-wise, alongside detailed solutions, shortcut methods, and tricks.

Online Resources

You can enhance your preparation with reliable digital materials like exhaustive eBooks on crucial topics. These digital resources cover all important shortcuts and concepts to answer tricky CET questions. They also feature a good set of practice questions that can help you monitor your progress.

These eBooks also guide you in your study plan and CET exam strategy. Besides these, access different apps specifically designed for students preparing for the CET examination. These apps include the test series for the examination that you can attempt from home. As a student preparing for CET, you can get comprehensive solutions and instant feedback from these apps.

Different online study platforms, like coaching centres offering courses for CET preparation, can also serve as all-inclusive study material. They offer video lectures, doubt-solving sessions, and other useful interactive features that can make learning effective and engaging.

Conclusion

Try making the most effective use of CET preparation books by allotting your time equally to cover different sections and topics. Employ effective study strategies, like cross-checking answers in the books with those you provide when solving previous years’ question papers. For further guidance, contact Giraffe Learning. It is your ultimate partner for CET preparation, offering top-quality coaching through its qualified and experienced teachers from IIM, Bangalore, and IIT, Kharagpur. 

CET, or Common Entrance Test, is a computer-based, state-level entrance examination comprising multiple-choice, objective-type question. Candidates who clear the CET examination 2024 will be eligible for admission to B.Tech and B.Pharma courses offered at varied colleges across Maharashtra. Besides hard work, the best exam strategy can help candidates with last-minute preparation for the exam. Stay calm and focused to employ smart strategies to your advantage.

Also, use the tips below to narrow your preparation to specific key points and attain good scores in the CET examination.

Table Of Contents

1. Prioritise Key Topics
2. Effective Revision Strategies
3. Time Management
4. Mock Tests and Past Papers
5. Health and Wellness

Prioritise Key Topics

Take up subject-wise preparation and focus on high-weightage or high-yield topics without neglecting the less important ones. Cover all topics thoroughly because the exam might test you in unexpected areas within each section.

Your strategic study plan must highlight the most important topics to be covered during the preparation and work on them in the first 15 days of your last minute CET preparation. Allow 2 hours for each topic to gain accuracy and speed. Though there’s no negative marking in the examination, it would be advantageous to focus and study only the high-scoring topics.

Your concepts should be crystal clear to answer questions about physics, chemistry, and mathematics. Therefore, whenever you take up a topic for study, go through its theory thoroughly and then go through solved examples to understand how concepts have been used. You can work on the formula-based questions and then use the trickier numerical ones.

You can also memorise formulas in all three subjects to leave no stone unturned in grabbing success in the examination. Focus on your strong areas and make them stronger by working on them and ensuring you make the least mistakes in answering questions from such areas. Do not start preparing new topics at the last minute because it may confuse you and waste your time doing nothing but just procrastinating.

Effective Revision Strategies

Regular revision is one of the most important aspects of last minute CET preparation, as it can help you remember formulas and concepts studied earlier. Revise the entire syllabus at least once before the examination. Cover the topics within the CET syllabus on a priority basis, take up one topic at a time, work on it and then go for the next topic. 

Remember, 20% of the questions asked in the CET examination are from the 11th standard Maharashtra Board syllabus. Though the weightage of these questions may be less, scoring well in them may improve your chances of admission into your dream institute.

Check the official CET brochure to see which Class 11 chapters are included and revise them at least once. However, if you do not have much time in hand, focus on memorising key points and important formulae from the included class 11 chapters.

Practice effective learning methods, like solving previous year’s papers and taking mock tests to get crucial insights into the CET examination pattern. Besides this, such learning and practice methods can also help you grasp important topics.

Once you have thoroughly revised the chapters from Class 11 and Class 12 of Maharashtra Board, it’s time for you to focus on practising application-based, higher-level questions. Use quick revision tips and smart revision techniques, like lists of important formulas, mind maps and shortcuts, to gain success from your last minute CET preparation.

Create quick revision notes or summaries of the topics you have already covered. This way, you won’t have to spend time understanding the topics you have already revised. Ensure your short notes contain all theorems, formulas and important terms you must remember during the examination.

A week before the examination, focus on the revision of these important notes. Also focus on revising the topics that carry more weightage. Remember, notes created at the time of preparation will be your best tool in recapping important stuff from all the topics you need to cover. Since you are preparing in the last minute, it is time to fine-tune things instead of going into the details.

Time Management

Based on the CET examination syllabus, prepare a study schedule featuring the overall strategy to cover all the crucial topics, taking mock tests and regular revisions. Proper time allocation is important, and understand the importance of balancing study and rest.

During the final days of preparation, allocate an equal amount of time for each section regularly so you can cover all the topics equally without missing out on anything. 

Manage time in such a way that you attempt all 150 questions in the examination within 180 minutes. But make sure that your accuracy is not impacted. Create a day-wise revision plan for each section of the CET examination because last-minute revision can help you score well in the final paper.

Avoid spending unnecessary time on questions you are not prepared for, as this may lead to nothing but stress. Simulate an actual exam environment through mock tests and practice time management under pressure.

Mock Tests and Past Papers

Practice examinations and papers play an important role in helping you with your last-minute CET preparation. They increase your speed and help with time management. Practice tests and past paper analyses will help you understand your preparation level since they are based on the examination pattern. 

First, gather all practice papers in one place and keep practising them one by one every day to build speed and accuracy. Conversely, regularly sitting for mock tests will give you a clear idea of the actual exam environment and scenario so you do not become nervous on the examination day.

Practice past year CET papers within the same time allotted for the exam, as this will help you understand your preparation level and the areas where you need to work harder to increase your score.

Attempt as many mock tests as possible during your last-minute preparation to get a clear idea of the paper pattern and the time you spend solving each section of the exam. Analysing previous year's questions can also help you pinpoint specific question formats and frequently tested topics, letting you customise your preparation accordingly. 

Health and Wellness

Pay attention to staying healthy when preparing for CET at the last minute. Eat healthily during the examination season and sleep well to be fresh enough to retain your preparation the next day. Always stay motivated to bring out the best in yourself, and that’s possible only when you eat healthy and think healthy.

Do not make drastic changes to your routine during CET exam preparation. Eating fast food, not getting enough sleep, and skipping meals may risk your health. Give in your 100% to last-minute CET preparation, but not at the cost of your health and well-being.

When you are all set to appear for the examination, ensure keeping away from negative forces like stress and tension that may overpower you at this stage. Make a study plan that gives you sufficient scope to relax and unwind. Remain cool and calm, believe in yourself and do what you like to do when taking small breaks during your revision. This may include listening to your favourite music, meeting friends, socialising or going for a morning walk.

Conclusion

CET exam success is vital to your academic career as it decides the college where you can continue your studies. So, the final advice would be to study with sincerity and determination. Many students prepare for this examination every year, but you must not worry about what they are doing to achieve success. Instead, stay motivated and compete with yourself to improve your performance in the exam. For further help, contact Giraffe Learning, which offers top-level CET coaching. 

The Pre-University Course (PUC) preparation is often recognized as a pressure cooker of academics, expectations, and uncertainty. As candidates juggle between academics and social pressures, stress becomes their familiar companion. This constant stress can significantly impact both mental and physical well-being while hindering the aspirant’s academic performance and overall quality of life. 

While students must ace the PUC exam with good scores, it is equally essential to understand their stress and master effective stress management techniques. Experts at Giraffe Learning help PUC aspirants navigate this challenging phase successfully.

Deciphering The Stress Response

The word ‘stress’ originated from physics where it is defined as tension applied to a material object. In psychology, stress is defined as a dynamic process when an individual’s situational demand exceeds available resources. During the PUC exam preparation, candidates may get stressed due to excessive job demands, tight deadlines, or inability to understand the curriculum.

The human body responds to perceived threats or deadlines with a physiological cascade. This is also known as the fight-or-flight response. This response can be triggered by the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Eventually, individuals feel on the edge and overwhelmed.

Negative Impact

Chronic stress has detrimental effects on various aspects of life. This includes:

• Cognitive Impairment: stress can impair memory, decision-making, and focus. It hinders the academic performance and hampers the critical thinking skills. 

• Mood: Elevated stress levels contribute to anxiety, mood swings, and depression, and in turn affect emotional well-being.

• Physical health: Chronic stress weakens the human immune system. Thus, making individuals more susceptible to illness and raising the risk of chronic diseases. A recent study published in Neurology indicated individuals in high-stress jobs face a 22 percent higher risk of heart stroke than compared to individuals with low-stress jobs.

• Sleep: Disrupted sleep patterns lead to fatigue, decreased productivity, and further exacerbate cognitive and emotional challenges.

Immense pressure and expectation to succeed on high career paths may take a deadly toll on students' mental health. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB 2020), every 42 minutes, a student took their life. Giraffe Learning advises its students to engage in relaxing activities like yoga, listening to music, and indulging in mild social activities in an attempt to address mental health crises. Our teachers and professionals are ready to help each candidate in every possible way.

Harnessing The Science For Effective Stress Management

Several science-backed techniques help PUC candidates manage stress effectively and thrive in a competitive environment.

Meditation

Mindful practices like meditation help to cultivate present-moment awareness and calmness. In Sanskrit, ‘yoga’ means connection or union the goal of yoga is to integrate mind and body with postures and breathing methods.

There are various forms of yoga that can be practiced for stress relief and the most popular is Bikram yoga which is practiced in a hot room with a temperature as high as 1050F. The elevated temperature results in muscle relaxation and sweating.

Meditation or mantra chanting can help students increase their concentration. The best benefits can be derived if aspirants practice meditation from an instructor or healthcare professional.

Physical Activity

Lack of physical activity is the fourth leading risk factor for mortality all over the globe. Physical activity has a blunt response to stress as it reduces the secretion of the stress hormone cortisol. According to WHO, adults should engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical exercise weekly. This can be in the form of walking, cycling, playing games, sports, or gyming with friends.

Healthy Diet

Psychological stress increases the production of free radicals in the body. This can be responsible for chronic illness in humans. When the human brain is exposed to chronic oxidative stress, it increases his or her risk of depression and anxiety. Many fruits and vegetables have antioxidants that neutralize the radicals and prevent chronic diseases relating to stress.

Social Support & Professional help

Feeling overwhelmed often stems from a lack of control. Building strong social connections and sharing the daily challenges with friends, family, or any trusted mentor can act as valuable emotional support. Further, it aids stress management. Candidates can also opt to take professional help if necessary from a therapist or a counselor. It may be immensely beneficial. Therapists offer personalized strategies and time management techniques for their overall well-being.

Navigating The Storm: Using Science In Stress Management

Effective stress management is essential for the psychological as well as physiological balance of a student’s life. Though social support is effective, overall life satisfaction plays a significant role in overcoming adverse health outcomes. Humor and laughter are the best medicine. Vacationing is also effective, but given the fact that students face time limitations, a small weekend stay with friends can help improve their physical and mental well-being and improve concentration.