8 Tips To Ace The Board Exams According To An Ex-12th Student & Parent

(Written with the inputs from a boy who took the boards last year.)

The Grade 12, CBSE and ISC exams would be starting soon. The countdown to exam season has truly begun. For mothers whose children would be taking the boards this year, it is going to be a few nervous months, till things settle down. The exam season can be aced with a few time-tested methods.

Plan study times and do some backward planning

Based on the exam calendar, backward planning should be done with adequate time devoted to all subjects and key concepts. Based on the child’s proficiency levels, the child’s scheduled study hours should be properly divided to do justice to the syllabus at hand. The tougher the subject, the greater the time allocated and vice versa

Know your subject well, revise

The textbooks should be read thoroughly at least twice. The student should make sure that he/she has a clear-cut understanding of the topics. That is extremely important, more than anything else. Revision is a must after ensuring this clarity.

All the quizzes and back exercises should be touched upon

The bits and pieces of questions in the middle of the chapter are the most important ones because they challenge the understanding of the concepts the most and are a favourite of the CBSE. So are case studies and embedded examples.

Sample papers are saviours

It is suggested that children should do (2-3 years) the previous year’s papers so that they have a clear-cut idea about the kind of questions they could be asked and practice those kinds of questions repeatedly. CBSE has changed the pattern recently and uploaded many practice papers. Solve these multiple times to gain a certain level of proficiency. Practice will give much-needed confidence and he/she will be easily able to handle the most convoluted of questions of that particular type, during the exam.

Do your studies in 3 hr cycles to gear up mentally

It is important that the child reads in cycles of 3 hours, as all the exams are of 3 hours each. It will gear the child mentally for the exam and also improve the child’s concentration.

Begin adjusting to the waking-sleeping schedule of exam days

One month before the scheduled start of exams, the children should reorient their day, and their waking hours and train their bodies and minds to match the exam hours. They should take an exam daily around the exam hours to form a habit. Even if the exams are just around the corner, you can begin now.

Use your mobile phone to facilitate rather than be a hurdle

Mobile is now an educational necessity. Social Media is a huge distraction no doubt but is also calming. Hence a modicum of discipline is expected of the child regarding usage. The parents and children should work as a team and decide on the time to binge/relax.

What you eat in these days matters

Adequate attention should be given to diet, eating small frequent power-packed meals (protein-enriched). The golden rule for the parent and child is to exercise, sleep, and meditate. Be happy. Ensure that the child indulges in other activities apart from studies for relaxation. Otherwise, their concentration levels could drop.

Some points to remember while writing the exam

• Underlining all the important points – This is to ensure that the examiner knows the student understands the concepts. The student could highlight the key points so that the examiner doesn’t have to read the answers completely. It is easier for an examiner who has to correct hundreds of papers each day, to assess an answer by looking at the highlighted points.  /* This is the personal opinion of someone who has taken the exam recently. Please follow this at your discretion */
• While solving numerical problems, all the steps should be written without skipping any steps, paying attention to carry forward signs ( +,-,*,/)
• Ensure that the child writes clearly without any scribbles, cuts or other mistakes. Try to minimize crosses and silly mistakes as much as possible. The sentences should be simple, clear and crystal. The child should try to convey the concept as though the person reading it, has absolutely no competence in that subject whatsoever, using simple words and phrases. Big words need not be used. It sometimes goes against the student’s success. /*Please trust me on the scribbling and the simple sentences, I am speaking from personal experience. */
• While answering the question paper, follow the serial order rather than answering randomly. Always follow the given word limit.
• Wherever possible, write the answers in points. Make diagrams/figures. Time management is very crucial. Students should try and finish question papers 10 to 15 minutes before finish time and revise their answers.

The children should not get overwhelmed but learn to take it easy. Exams are just a simple stepping stone for the next stage. The less stress the child takes, the better it is for success. This applies as much to the parent. Don’t take any pressure whatsoever. Just relax and do what is necessary. It’s just another test! Not the end of life. Treat it so!

Wishing all children the very best!

Image source: Biswarup Ganguly / CC BY

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