A complete beginner-friendly
roadmap to start AAI JE (ATC) preparation from zero. Includes exam pattern,
full syllabus breakdown, 30-day study plan, NCERT strategy, PYQ trends, common
mistakes, step-by-step preparation guide, and a final checklist to reach
selection level.
How to Start ATC Preparation from Zero (Beginner Roadmap)
Starting your AAI JE (ATC)
preparation from zero can feel overwhelming. New aspirants often think the
syllabus is vast, the competition is huge, and they don’t know where to begin.
The truth is: ATC is one of the most structured exams in India, and with
the right roadmap, any beginner can reach selection-level performance within
months.
This guide gives you a step-by-step
roadmap, complete syllabus breakdown, 30-day plan, NCERT
strategy, PYQ pattern, common mistakes, and a final checklist.
1. Understanding
the ATC Exam (Beginner-Friendly)
AAI ATC (Air Traffic Controller)
exam is conducted to recruit JE (Junior Executive – ATC). The job role involves
managing aircraft movement, ensuring safety, maintaining air traffic flow,
and communicating with pilots.
Exam Structure
·
Stage 1
– CBT (120 Questions, 2 hours, No Negative Marking)
• Technical: Physics + Maths (60 Q)
• Non-Tech: English + Reasoning + Quant + GK (60 Q)
·
Stage 2
– Voice Test
·
Stage 3
– Document Verification
·
Stage 4
– Medical (CAT-III B)
Why beginners can crack this easily:
·
The syllabus
is predictable.
·
PYQs repeat
conceptually.
·
No negative
marking means scores can shoot high.
·
Physics and
Maths rely heavily on Class 11–12 fundamentals.
2. Complete Syllabus Breakdown (Tech + Non-Tech) –
Complete
Syllabus
3.
Beginner’s 30-Day Starter Plan (Day 1 to Day 30)
This plan builds fundamentals
quickly and avoids overwhelm.
Week 1:
Foundation Setup
·
Read NCERT
Physics 11 (Units/Kinematics/NLM)
·
Learn
Calculus basics (Limits + Derivatives)
·
Start
English: 10 vocab/day
·
Reasoning:
Blood Relations + Direction sense
·
GA: Start
Static GK (Indian Polity basics)
Week 2:
Moderate Concepts
·
NCERT
Physics 11: WEP, COM, Rotational, Gravitation
·
Maths:
Application of Derivatives + Integrals
·
English:
Reading comprehension
·
Quant:
Percentages + Ratio
·
Reasoning:
Coding-Decoding + Series
Week 3:
Class 12 Physics + Strong Maths
·
NCERT
Physics 12: Electrostatics + Capacitance + Current
·
Maths:
Matrices, Determinants, Probability
·
Quant: TSD +
Time–Work
·
English:
Para jumbles + Cloze test
·
Reasoning:
Syllogism + Analogy
Week 4:
High-Weight Topics
·
Physics 12:
EMI + AC + Optics + Semiconductors
·
Maths: 3D,
Vectors, DE
·
Quant: DI
·
English + GA
revision
· Start 1 Full Mock Test
By the end of 30 days:
You will have covered 60–70% of concepts needed for strong ATC preparation.
4. NCERT Usage Guide for ATC
NCERTs are your base textbook for
Physics. Here's how to use them:
o Class 11 NCERT
·
Focus more
on conceptual chapters:
Kinematics, NLM, WEP, Fluids, Thermodynamics, Oscillations
·
Solve all
in-text & exercise conceptual questions.
o Class 12 NCERT
This is 80% of the Physics section.
·
Read theory
+ examples in:
Electrostatics, Capacitance, Current, Magnetism, EMI, AC
·
Pay special
attention:
Ray Optics + Semiconductors
·
Make formula
sheet for each chapter.
Important Note
NCERT alone is not enough;
combine NCERT with PYQs to identify ATC-specific patterns.
(Career Wave’s Super-50 batch
follows exactly this NCERT-PYQ-Concept-Test pattern
5. PYQ Pattern Analysis (Tech
+ Non-Tech)
o Technical (Physics + Maths)
Trends (2021–2023):
·
Physics dominates
with ~36–40 questions.
·
Most
repeated areas:
Electrostatics → Current → Optics → Semiconductor → Waves → Thermodynamics.
·
Maths
contributes: Calculus, Matrices, Probability, Vectors.
o Non-Tech
·
English and
Reasoning are generally easy.
·
Quant is
moderate but limited to basic arithmetic.
· GK stays mostly static + simple current.
Overall: PYQs show repeatability. Conceptual questions appear in similar formats every year.
6.
Starting Your Preparation – Step-by-Step
Roadmap
Step 1: Understand syllabus
deeply
Print the syllabus and keep it on
your study table.
Step 2: Build NCERT foundation
Read Class 11 + 12 Physics
sequentially.
Step 3: Solve PYQs from Day 10
Don’t wait to finish the
syllabus.
Step 4: Make formula sheets
One formula sheet for Physics,
one for Maths.
Step 5: Give weekly mock
Mock → Analysis → Correction
Step 6: Learn non-tech as a
“score booster”
Non-tech can give 50+ marks
easily.
Step 7: Use structured courses
A guided module helps a beginner avoid
confusion.
(Career Wave's Super-50
and Scorer follow step-wise ATC-specific sequencing.)
7.
Common Mistakes Beginners Make
·
Starting
with YouTube random videos instead of NCERT.
·
Studying
without completing PYQs.
·
Ignoring
Maths initially and focusing only on Physics.
·
Not
practicing Non-Tech, losing easy marks.
·
Not taking
mocks early.
·
Over-highlighting
NCERT without understanding.
·
No fixed
daily 3–4 hour study plan.
·
Depending on
multiple coaching channels, creating confusion.
8.
Subtle Career Wave Recommendation (No Hard
Sell)
If you are starting from zero and
want a guided, structured path, Career Wave’s ATC programs follow a
predictable sequence:
ü SUPER-50 (Tech+Non-Tech) – Bilingual & English
ü SCORER (Tech only)
ü Includes: NCERT → PYQs → Practice Sets → Weekly mocks → Mentorship
Course link (for reference):
https://careerwave.org/new-courses
The structure is designed
specifically for ATC beginners.
9.
Final Beginner Checklist
Before starting:
·
Print
syllabus
·
Download
NCERT 11 + 12 PDFs
·
Create two
notebooks (Physics + Maths)
Weekly tasks:
·
Study 4–5
Physics chapters
·
Solve 50
PYQs
·
Give one
mock test
·
Complete 1
GA weekly capsule
Concept mastery checks:
·
Can you
solve NCERT exemplar basics?
·
Can you
solve 70% PYQs without struggle?
·
Do you
revise formulas every week?
Final aim:
Build strong fundamentals → practice PYQs → score
high in mock → repeat.
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