New Delhi, India: It’s back to the All-India Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Test (AIPMT) for medical aspirants across the country. To be held on May 4, 2014, the AIPMT will be conducted again for the first time since 2012 after the Supreme Court quashed the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in July 2013.

The apex court, however, agreed to have a review of its judgment scrapping the single common entrance test for admission to MBBS, BDS and postgraduate courses in all medical colleges of the country.

“Subject to the final decision of the Supreme Court, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will conduct AIPMT for admission to MBBS/BDS courses in the academic session 2014-15 for the 15% seats in government medical/dental colleges all over the country, except in Andhra Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir,” says a senior official from CBSE.

It will also be conducted for admission to medical/dental colleges voluntarily participating in the test. “There are also state governments like Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Odisha and Punjab participating in AIPMT 2014. Institutions such as Delhi University, Banaras Hindu University, Jamia Hamdard and AFMC, Pune are voluntarily participating in AIPMT 2014 for using its merit list for admission in the medical colleges/dental colleges against seats under their control,” adds the CBSE official.

The test will be conducted in 929 centres in 50 cities in India and abroad. While more than 6.58 lakh students appeared for NEET 2013, the number of students that have registered for the AIPMT 2014 is over 5.79 lakh.

The format
The paper pattern and syllabus for AIPMT 2014 and NEET-UG, 2013 are the same. AIPMT 2014 will consist of one paper containing 180 objective type questions (four options with single correct answer) from physics, chemistry and biology.  The duration of the test would be three hours. There is no change in the pattern from last year.

Tips and tricks
According to Aakash Caudhary, director, Aakash Educational Services Ltd, “Physics is a cause of great concern for many students preparing for medical entrance exams, especially AIPMT. This subject not only requires building of concepts but also requires development of a certain numerical ability to be able to apply those concepts.
While studying a chapter in physics, make NCERT books as fundamental for theory. For AIPMT, apart from development of basic concepts, practising to apply those concepts within a fixed period of time is important. So, when you complete a topic, take around 50 questions from any question bank and attempt then in an hour. This way you will know how you perform under the pressure of time constraint. Almost 85% questions asked in AIPMT are either easy or average, many of them being formula-based.
Hence, prepare a formula chart of each chapter.” Topics like kinematics, laws of motion, electrostatics, magnetic effects of current and modern physics are important.

While preparing for chemistry, Chaudhary suggests that one should start with physical chemistry. “Spend time in solved examples, mug up all formulae. Once the concepts are clear, try to implement these concepts by solving the maximum number of multiple-choice questions. Try to attempt at least 50 questions in one go.”

Inorganic chemistry is more about facts and less about concepts, says Chaudhary. “You can take the advantage of your cramming ability in this section. Before starting the topics see the previous year questions and analyse the area from where maximum questions have been asked. Now prepare a formula chart of important chemicals and minerals and keep revising it every day. Some topics like coordination chemistry and P block chemistry are important. Organic chemistry is very demanding where you must have clarity about the concepts.

For biology, emphasis should be given to all the diagrams and class 11 syllabus.  Experts say that there have been more questions from human physiology, plant physiology, cell biology, ecology, biomolecules, biotechnology as per the questions asked in previous years’ exams. “The best way to prepare for biology is to adapt a learning style that suits you - whether visual, auditory or tactile,” adds Chaudhary.

Fast facts
The test will be ­conducted in 929 centres in 50 cities in India and abroad.
While more than 6.58 lakh students appeared for NEET 2013, the number of students that have registered for the AIPMT 2014 is over 5.79 lakh.
AIPMT 2014 will consist of one paper containing 180 objective type ­questions and the paper will be of three hours (Gauri Kohli, Hindustan Times)