A complete, honest guide to preparing for Rajasthan Engineering Admission Process (REAP): a real self-study path, a weekly study plan, how tough it actually is, and what the job pays. Everything you need is free on Shishya — no coaching fees.
REAP follows the Rajasthan Board syllabus primarily, with overlap from CBSE Class 11-12. Self-study is entirely viable if you're systematic.
Foundation Building (2-3 months)
Download the official REAP syllabus from the Rajasthan Technical University website
Collect NCERT textbooks for Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (Class 11-12) — these are non-negotiable
For Rajasthan Board students: your state board textbooks are actually advantageous here since questions often mirror board pattern
Use Shishya's free notes section to supplement weak chapters, especially for quick revision formats
Concept Mastery Phase
Physics: Focus on numerical problems from mechanics, electricity, optics, and modern physics. HC Verma (Concepts of Physics) for practice problems, but NCERT first
Chemistry: Physical and Inorganic chemistry are scoring. Use NCERT line-by-line for Inorganic. For Physical Chemistry, OP Tandon or your board textbook works well
Mathematics: RD Sharma or RS Aggarwal for board-level problem variety. REAP math is slightly easier than JEE but requires speed
Free Resources Arsenal
Shishya's previous year questions (PYQs) for REAP — solve ALL available papers from last 5 years minimum
Shishya's free mock tests — take at least 15-20 full-length mocks in exam conditions
YouTube channels: Physics Wallah (for concept clarity), Arvind Academy (Rajasthan Board specific), Vedantu for specific doubt clearing
Doubtnut app for step-by-step solutions when stuck
Practice Strategy
REAP questions are often board-exam style with moderate difficulty
Speed matters: 180 minutes for 300 marks means exactly 36 seconds per mark on average
Accuracy over speed initially; speed develops through repeated mocks
Maintain an error log — every mistake in mocks goes into a notebook with the correct approach
With Coaching
If you're joining coaching (Allen, Resonance, Career Point in Kota/Jaipur, or local institutes), ensure they provide:
Separate REAP-focused test series (not just JEE pattern)
State board syllabus coverage if you're not from CBSE
Weekly topic tests, not just full-length tests
Don't become coaching-dependent. Use coaching for doubt-clearing and structured tests, but self-study PYQs and NCERT remain your primary tools. Many coaching institutes over-complicate REAP — it's fundamentally a board-level exam with clever question framing.
AI-curated guidance — pay bands and cutoffs are indicative; always confirm with the latest official notification.
Start your REAP prep now — free
Take a free mock, get your weak topics, and follow a daily plan. No coaching fees, in your language.
6:00-8:00 AM: Toughest subject (usually Physics or Math)
8:00-9:00 AM: Breakfast + light reading
9:00-12:00 PM: Second subject with breaks
12:00-1:00 PM: Lunch + rest
1:00-2:00 PM: Solve 30-40 MCQs or PYQs
2:00-5:00 PM: Third subject/revision
5:00-6:00 PM: Break
6:00-8:00 PM: Mixed practice/doubt clearing
8:00 PM onwards: Dinner, family time, light revision before bed
Is it tough? An honest take for an average student
Difficulty Level: Moderate (6/10 on absolute scale)
REAP is significantly easier than JEE Main but slightly trickier than straightforward board exams. Here's the reality check:
Why it's manageable:
90% questions come directly from NCERT or board textbook patterns
No exceptionally twisted conceptual questions like JEE Advanced
Math is computational and formula-based, not proof-heavy
Chemistry Inorganic is often factual recall from NCERT
Negative marking exists but is manageable (usually 1 mark deduction for wrong answer)
Cutoffs for decent government colleges are reasonable (60-70% for general category)
Where students struggle:
Time pressure: 36 seconds per mark sounds adequate but attempting 100 questions in 180 minutes while maintaining accuracy needs serious practice
Silly mistakes: Calculation errors in Physics numericals or sign mistakes in Math cost heavily
Vast syllabus: Complete Class 11-12 from three subjects is genuinely extensive
Competition: 1.5-2 lakh students compete for approximately 10,000-12,000 seats (varies yearly)
For the "average" student (60-70% in board exams):
With 6 months of focused prep, scoring 180-200/300 (60-67%) is absolutely realistic
This score range typically gets you into decent government engineering colleges in Rajasthan
You don't need to be a genius; you need to be consistent and strategic
Expect to fail in your first few mocks (scoring 40-50%) — this is completely normal
Subject-wise difficulty:
Mathematics: Easiest to score if you practice adequately; formulaic and predictable (7-8/10 achievable)
Physics: Moderate; numericals need practice but concepts are board-level (6-7/10)
Chemistry: Mixed bag; Physical needs understanding, Inorganic is pure memory, Organic needs reaction practice (6-7/10)
Mental preparation:
You WILL have bad mock scores initially — don't let this derail you
Comparison with JEE aspirants is pointless; REAP tests different skills
The paper feels easier than your hardest coaching test but longer than board exams
Last month stress is real; plan buffer time for mental health
Bottom line: If you can score 65%+ in your board exams with decent effort, REAP is very much crackable with dedicated 5-6 months. It rewards consistency over brilliance, and thoroughness over genius-level problem-solving.
Salary, job profile & career growth
Educational Outcome (Not Direct Job)
REAP is an entrance exam for B.Tech admissions in Rajasthan, not a direct recruitment exam. Your salary and career depend on which college you secure and your subsequent placements.
College Tier & Approximate Starting Packages
Tier 1 Colleges (Top government colleges: MBM Jodhpur, CTAE Udaipur, Government Engineering Colleges in Ajmer/Kota/Bikaner)
Campus placements: ₹3.5-8 lakh per annum starting packages (approximately)
Top recruiters: TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Cognizant, Tech Mahindra, L&T, state PSUs
60-70% placement rates typically
Core engineering roles: Junior Engineer, Design Engineer, Site Engineer
IT roles: Software Developer, Analyst
Tier 2 Colleges (Other government colleges, aided institutions)
Starting packages: ₹2.5-5 lakh per annum (approximately)
Placements more effort-dependent; smaller companies, local firms
40-50% direct campus placement rates
Many students prepare for GATE/government exams post-B.Tech
Typical Entry-Level Roles Post-B.Tech
1. Private Sector
Software Developer/Engineer: ₹3-6 lakh initially, grows to ₹8-15 lakh in 3-5 years
Mechanical/Civil Site Engineer: ₹2.5-4.5 lakh initially
Electrical Engineer in manufacturing: ₹3-5 lakh
2. Government Jobs (via additional exams like GATE, state PSC)
Junior Engineer (JEN) in state departments: ₹35,000-45,000 per month (approximately) after 7th Pay Commission
PSU Engineer (through GATE): ₹50,000-70,000 per month
These require clearing separate exams post-B.Tech
3. Core vs IT
60-70% REAP admits eventually move to IT/software regardless of branch due to better initial packages
Core engineering (Mechanical, Civil, Electrical) placement packages typically 20-30% lower than CS/IT
5-10 Year Career Trajectory
With good college + effort: ₹8-15 lakh by year 5 in private sector; ₹60,000-1,00,000/month in government via GATE route
Entrepreneurship: Many engineering graduates start own ventures (construction firms, tech startups, consultancies)
Higher studies: Strong REAP performance → Good college → Better GATE scores → IITs/NITs for M.Tech → Campus placements of ₹10-20 lakh+
Ground Reality
Your branch matters MORE than college sometimes (CS/IT vs Mechanical/Civil pay gap is significant)
Networking, internships, skill development during B.Tech are crucial
Don't expect 20-30 lakh packages from typical REAP colleges — those are outliers or off-campus achievements
Government job security via additional exams remains a popular path for 30-40% students