HC Verma Sir on Physics, Failure & Never Giving Up | JEE Nerds Podcast

The Origin of Concepts of Physics

H. C. Verma says the idea for the book began after he joined Patna Science College in 1979, where he taught large groups of Plus Two students. He wanted to teach physics as a way to understand nature—not merely as a collection of equations, graphs, and formulas. In his view, the books available to students did not present physics in a connected, intuitive way.

Verma drew on familiar experiences from nature, family life, the playground, and the kitchen to make physical ideas meaningful. This approach became the foundation for Concepts of Physics.

How the Book Was Developed

Verma says it took six years to write the manuscript and about another one and a half to two years to publish it. The total process, from the initial idea to the book’s arrival in the market, took roughly eight years.

He carefully designed each chapter. Explanations were followed by simple numerical examples that introduced symbols and gave readers a chance to review what they had learned. He then created exercises to help students check their understanding and retain material across a longer chapter. Verma tested his writing while teaching, using his students’ responses to see whether the material worked.

Why Exercise Problems Matter

According to Verma, exercises are not primarily intended to predict or imitate exam questions. They help students:

• Check whether they understood the material.
• Review and retain ideas presented earlier in a chapter.
• Identify concepts or details they may have forgotten.
• Strengthen their grasp of the subject through application.

Persistence and the Meaning of a Goal

Verma continued working on the book despite colleagues questioning whether it was a worthwhile use of his time, whether enough people would read it, and whether it would bring financial or professional rewards. His motivation came from a clear purpose: creating material that could reach and benefit students. He says that a meaningful and worthwhile goal can give a person the strength to keep working.

However, Verma cautions against treating clearing JEE or obtaining a high rank as the ultimate, sacred goal. JEE preparation is uncertain and can bring frustration, especially when students fear their efforts may not produce the result they want.

Instead, he encourages aspirants to treat preparation as a journey and a learning experience. Rank, results, and admission matter, but they are only part of the experience. Students should make the most of what they learn and gain during their years of preparation, rather than judging the entire journey by its final outcome.

Developing the Ability to Visualize Physics

Verma’s central advice is that visualization is natural: children learn about the physical world by observing it long before they encounter formal physics lessons. Everyday experiences—objects remaining where they are, things falling, or movement following a push—provide intuitive foundations for concepts such as Newton’s first law.

Formal teaching can weaken this intuition when students are trained mainly to memorize statements, match formulas, and write answers for marks. Verma argues that students should preserve and use their natural ability to picture what is happening.

He recommends approaching physics in this order:

1. Read a problem and picture the situation. Work out what objects and events it describes.
2. Understand the geometry and physical setup. Ask where things are, how they are arranged, and what is happening.
3. Describe what is happening, or what is likely to happen, before calculating.
4. Use definitions, formulas, derivations, and equations as tools to support understanding—not as substitutes for understanding physics.
5. Practise visualizing physical situations regularly. Quantitative work and equations can follow once the situation is clear.
6. Aim to learn physics, not just recognize familiar question patterns. Verma says students may resort to memorizing or matching examples when they cannot interpret a question, making problems seem harder than they are.

Verma notes that examination-driven education can make this approach harder, but students can still practise interpreting questions through physical understanding and visualization.

Speakers and Sources Featured

• Host/interviewer: Introduces the episode and asks questions about the book, persistence, JEE preparation, and visualization.
• H. C. Verma: Discusses the creation of Concepts of Physics, his approach to teaching and exercises, the meaning of goals, and how students can learn to visualize physics.