Until You Think Like the Paper-Setter
Yesterday, while on an evening walk, a beautiful realization hit me with a simple Physics problem:Problem:
A ball is dropped vertically from the top of a building. At the exact same instant, another identical ball is thrown horizontally from the same height.
Which one hits the ground first?
Most students (even good ones) immediately pull out equations:
s = ut + ½gt² for the dropped ball
Vertical motion for the projected ball: initial vertical velocity = 0, so same equation
Time is the same → both hit together.Correct answer. Full marks. But that’s what 95 % of students do.
But the top 0.1 % — the ones who get AIR 1–100 — don’t calculate at all.
They see the question and instantly think:“Vertical motion is completely independent of horizontal motion.”That single principle ends the problem in 2 seconds. No calculation needed.And that, my friend, is exactly how IIT-JEE papers are designed.The Secret: They Don’t Test Formulas. They Test Deep Conceptual UnderstandingThe people who set JEE Advanced papers (mostly IIT professors and ex-IITians) are not trying to see if you remember s = ut + ½at².
They assume you already know that.They are testing whether you truly understand the soul of the concept — the root principle that makes the formula exist in the first place.Once you see the root, the question collapses like a house of cards.Here are a few classic examples:
The ranker doesn’t solve — they see.How to Train Yourself to Think Like This
It rewards clarity.The paper is tough not because the math is hard — it’s tough because it punishes surface-level understanding and rewards those who see the root.
So next time you solve a “tough” problem and it takes you 5 minutes with 10 lines of calculation… smile, because you got it right.But if you want to dominate JEE like the legends do, train yourself to see the answer in 5 seconds — by falling in love with the root principle, not the formula.
Because in the end:
The one who understands deeply doesn’t solve the problem.
The problem solves itself.
P.S. Want a free PDF with the “Soul Principles” of Physics + Maths + Chemistry (the 50 lines that explain 95 % of JEE Advanced)?
Just comment or DM “ROOT” and I’ll send it to you instantly. No email required.
A ball is dropped vertically from the top of a building. At the exact same instant, another identical ball is thrown horizontally from the same height.
Which one hits the ground first?
Most students (even good ones) immediately pull out equations:
s = ut + ½gt² for the dropped ball
Vertical motion for the projected ball: initial vertical velocity = 0, so same equation
Time is the same → both hit together.Correct answer. Full marks. But that’s what 95 % of students do.
But the top 0.1 % — the ones who get AIR 1–100 — don’t calculate at all.
They see the question and instantly think:“Vertical motion is completely independent of horizontal motion.”That single principle ends the problem in 2 seconds. No calculation needed.And that, my friend, is exactly how IIT-JEE papers are designed.The Secret: They Don’t Test Formulas. They Test Deep Conceptual UnderstandingThe people who set JEE Advanced papers (mostly IIT professors and ex-IITians) are not trying to see if you remember s = ut + ½at².
They assume you already know that.They are testing whether you truly understand the soul of the concept — the root principle that makes the formula exist in the first place.Once you see the root, the question collapses like a house of cards.Here are a few classic examples:
Topic | Typical Student Approach (Slow) | Ranker’s Approach (Instant) |
|---|---|---|
Projectile Motion | Write both vertical & horizontal equations | “Vertical → free fall, independent of horizontal → same time” |
Electrostatics | Use Gauss’s law formula, integrate | “Symmetry → electric field must be radial → no flux through sides” |
Rotational Dynamics | Take torque, solve for α, then a = αr | “No external torque → angular momentum conserved” |
Calculus (Maxima) | Differentiate, set f'(x)=0, second derivative test | “Physical constraint → maximum when one variable is zero” |
The ranker doesn’t solve — they see.How to Train Yourself to Think Like This
- Never solve a problem only with formulas again
After solving, ask: “What is the deepest principle at play here?” - For every topic, write down 3–5 “soul principles”
Example for Mechanics:- Vertical and horizontal motions are independent
- Energy is conserved if no non-conservative work
- Momentum is conserved if no external force
- Angular momentum conserved if no external torque
These 4 lines explain 90 % of JEE Mechanics.
- Practice “Zero-Pen Thinking”
Look at a problem for 10 seconds. Can you predict the answer without writing anything?
If not, your conceptual depth is still shallow. - When you get a question wrong, don’t just see the solution
Ask: “What one idea was I missing that would have made this obvious?”
It rewards clarity.The paper is tough not because the math is hard — it’s tough because it punishes surface-level understanding and rewards those who see the root.
So next time you solve a “tough” problem and it takes you 5 minutes with 10 lines of calculation… smile, because you got it right.But if you want to dominate JEE like the legends do, train yourself to see the answer in 5 seconds — by falling in love with the root principle, not the formula.
Because in the end:
The one who understands deeply doesn’t solve the problem.
The problem solves itself.
P.S. Want a free PDF with the “Soul Principles” of Physics + Maths + Chemistry (the 50 lines that explain 95 % of JEE Advanced)?
Just comment or DM “ROOT” and I’ll send it to you instantly. No email required.