Learn how to solve previous year question papers the right way for JEE, NEET & CBSE. BASU Classes (Noida) shares expert tips to boost your exam prep and performance.

Every student has heard this advice:
“Practice previous year question papers.”

But most students either use them too late or the wrong way.
If you're preparing for JEE, NEET, or CBSE board exams in Noida or Delhi, this quick guide by our expert BASU teachers will help you maximize the impact of past papers — the smart way.

1. Don’t Wait Till the End

Many students start solving previous year papers only 10 days before the exam. That’s too late.

When to start:

Begin after you’ve completed at least 60% of your syllabus. For JEE/NEET aspirants, this could be 3–4 months before the exam.

2. Solve Like It’s the Real Exam

Don’t just read questions. Attempt them in real exam conditions:

• Set a timer

• Sit in a quiet space

• Don’t take help from books or Google

• Use only allowed stationery

 3. Don’t Just Solve – ANALYZE

After attempting the paper:

• Mark your mistakes

• Check which topics you got wrong

• Note down silly mistakes or calculation errors

• Keep a "mistake tracker notebook"

4. Match Your Strategy to the Pattern

For CBSE Board Exams, notice:   

• Question weightage

• How frequently certain chapters appear

• How long answers are expected to be

For JEE or NEET, notice:   

• Chapter-wise frequency

• Concept types (numericals vs theory)

• Time taken per subject

5. Use Them for Revision – Not Just Testing

Previous year papers aren’t only for mock tests.

Use them chapter-wise too:
After finishing, say, “Motion in a Straight Line,” try 5–6 JEE questions from past years. This reinforces learning.

At BASU Classes, Noida, our test series includes topic-wise past paper practice after each chapter to solidify learning.

Final Thought

Previous year papers aren’t magic—but used smartly, they can help you:

• Understand exam pattern

• Improve speed & accuracy

• Avoid last-minute surprises

And that’s how toppers train themselves. At BASU Classes (Sector 49, Noida), we help you use every tool—smartly. From mock tests to performance reviews, we guide you step by step toward your exam goal.  Need help building your test strategy? Book a free counseling session or attend a demo class today.

Solving previous year question papers in a real exam-like environment at BASU Classes helped me realize that I needed to improve my speed—especially for calculation-based questions.

— Vaishnavi Singh, Class 12 Board Exam Student