OFTEN, ALTHOUGH a question paper has been solved very well, the score is much less than the student deserved. In such cases, usually, the first few answers earn good marks, but subsequent answers go on getting less and less marks. The reason? This happens for one of two reasons – the student either ends up answering less than the required number of questions, or writes the answers in a hurry towards the end of the answer book. And why does this happen? This happens due to lack of time management or bad time management at the examination. What is time management? Time management means planning an activity or a set of activities in a way that it will be completed within the time given, with some time to spare. How to manage time at the examinations? It is simple mathematics, actually. An example will make it clear. A paper commonly will be of 100 marks, and of three hours duration (there will be exceptions, of course, but the calculations will remain the same). You will generally be required to solve five questions, of 20 marks each. Three hours means 3 x 60 minutes = 180 minutes. So how much time should you give for one mark? Simple: 180 minutes ÷ 100 marks = 1.8 minutes. So how much time for one question of 20 marks? 1.8 minutes x 20 marks = 36 minutes. However, if you actually take 36 minutes to solve each question, it will leave no room for error, and you will have no time left to review your answers, tie your supplements, and so on. So 30 minutes is a good figure. Solve each question in 30 minutes exactly, by the watch. It means 30 x 5 = 150 minutes in all, which gives you 30 minutes extra. If you want, you can utilise 10 minutes at the beginning to read the question paper through (if you are not allowed extra time for this), which will leave you 20 minutes extra at the end. If you don’t read the question paper first, it will leave you 30 minutes extra at the end. Now, while actually writing the paper, keep strictly to the schedule. STOP writing the answer once the allotted 30 minutes are over, and go to the next question. Don’t worry and fret about what you have written and what you have left out. In fact, to eliminate this, try to put all the important points of your answer at the beginning of the answer itself. This will not hold true for mathematical or scientific derivations, for example, so try to write the steps within the time. Also remember that in descriptive answers that don’t involve step-by-step derivation, the law of diminishing utility applies – writing more does not mean it will fetch you more marks, because you may tend to repeat yourself or write irrelevant things. To give you an analogy, the joy that you derive from eating gulabjamuns one after another goes on decreasing with each piece – you enjoy the first one a lot; the second gives you probably only half as much satisfaction, the next few a quarter of the first, till you reach a stage where you can’t even stand the sight of one!! The examiner will be in a similar position. So resist the temptation to keep writing after the time for the question is over. All right, what if you feel that you have not covered all the points? Simple – still stop writing, leave a page or two blank, and solve the remaining questions, and then come back to this one in the extra 30 or 20 minutes that you will have at the end, and write the remaining portion in the pages that you have left blank. If you don’t do this, you will have very little or no time left to solve the last question, which will cause you greater loss of marks. How? If you took ten minutes extra to solve each question, then you will have taken 40 x 4 = 160 minutes to solve four questions, which will leave you with only 20 minutes to solve the last one, and no time to review or revise! Even with five minutes extra for each question, you will take 35 x 5 = 175 minutes to solve the paper, leaving you only five minutes for review! This holds true even from the scoring point of view. Even if a very long answer fetches you 20 out of 20 marks, how many marks will you score in all? Just above 80 (80 to 85), because you will score 20 x 4 = 80 for the first four questions, but very few, or even zero, for the last question, which you botched up for lack of time. On the other hand, if you solve all five reasonably well within time, and at a moderate estimate of even 18 marks each, you end up scoring 18 x 5 = 90 marks! In exams where grades are given, this difference will mean the difference between an “A” and an “A+”! Remember, we are assuming that your very long answers will fetch you full marks, which may not happen in reality, because nothing is more frustrating for an examiner than to read long-winded answers with repetitions or irrelevant information. So it’s better to cover your risks and stick to the schedule. Also, for sub-questions, divide the 30 minutes for the main question into as many portions as sub-questions you have to answer. For two, give 15 minutes each, for five, give six minutes each, and so on. You may have a pattern different than the one discussed here, or different patterns for different subjects, but the basic calculations remain the same – calculate the time for one mark, then for one question, then round off to a suitable duration. [The series on “Strategies to solve the paper” concludes with this part. = Webmaster]

ONE DILEMMA that students often face when writing a paper at the exams is the sequence in which to answer the questions – should they just take up the questions one by one in the order that they appear, or read the question paper first and decide which questions to attempt first (obviously the ones to which they know the answers well)? It’s quite natural to be confused, especially with conflicting advice coming in from various people. The answer depends on you, and on how well prepared you are and how confident you feel. If you are given time before the actual exam commences to read the question paper, then the answer is really easy. Use the time to read the questions, and then decide which questions you can answer well and which questions you will not be able to do well. Start by answering the question to which you know the answer the best, then take up the question to which you know the answer the next best, and so on. The advantage is that a good beginning creates a positive impression, which will give you some edge when the examiner evaluates your answer book. However, do remember that you have to maintain a certain level of consistency. If your subsequent answers are too bad as compared to the first one, then you will lose the edge. There is another pitfall in this method. While reading the questions, if you come across any to which you don’t know the answer/s too well, then it will affect your confidence and poise, which may affect your overall performance. Of course, we are sure that your preparation is so thorough that this will not happen. However, in the rare case, prevent this from happening by concentrating on the ones that you know well and complete them well. However, if you are not allowed any extra time to read the questions, then you will have to decide whether to spend time reading or to get down to the task immediately. Ideally, in such a situation, you should not spend time reading the questions, and should instead solve them one by one. If external choice (solving a certain number of questions out of those given) is given, then read each question as it comes, decide whether you want to attempt it, solve it or skip it as the case may be, and then go to the next question. If internal choice (solving a certain number of sub-questions within a question) is given, then read all the sub-questions, evaluate whether you can solve the requisite number, then solve it or skip it as the case may be. While doing so, do ensure that you solve only the number of questions needed overall. In short, do the question as they come. Remember, however, that this method will help only if your preparations have been reasonably thorough and you are confident that you have covered all the topics well, so prioritising one question over another may not really matter either way. Reading the questions when no extra time is allowed for the purpose will involve some time management, which we will discuss in a subsequent piece. Prioritise when you feel that your preparations were not absolutely up to the mark or if you are not fully confident that you can tackle any topic in the syllabus. Prioritising may also help those of you who skip certain topics in the syllabus, for whatever reason, knowing that you have to solve only a certain number of a greater number of questions, and that each question will be restricted to a certain topic in the syllabus. But then, you have to be absolutely confident of your preparation of the parts of the syllabus that you have chosen to prepare. Lastly, it is not necessary that you may adopt the same strategy for all subjects. You can decide the strategy depending upon how well you have prepared a subject; it is quite possible that you may be very strong in some subjects and not so in others.

SO HERE YOU ARE at the exams, with paper in hand, and wondering how to go about solving it. You studied hard all the year round, made sacrifices, and burned a lot of midnight oil for this precise moment – question paper in hand and pen poised on the answer sheet, ready to fly. But alas! How do you go about actually solving the question paper? A lot many of you probably give little thought to this important aspect even as you get busy with a hectic schedule to prepare for your big day. Is there a strategy to write exams? Should you have a strategy? Yes, you should have a strategy. Remember, the guy who was 0.1 seconds late may have won the silver medal, but lost all the glory. A strategy will give you that fraction of an edge, although it may differ from individual to individual, and maybe even from subject to subject. So, here are a few basic things. First of all, pay attention to tidiness. Marks may not have been assigned specifically for tidiness, but believe us, no examiner wants to read an answer paper that looks untidy. When we say tidy, we not only mean good, legible handwriting, but also the overall appearance. The entire paper should look neat and crisp. Don’t let the pages crumple. Try to avoid smudging the pages as far as possible. Answer books will often come with a margin marked on the left, but if it doesn’t have one, mark it with a scale and pencil (never a pen), only on the left. Don’t mark margins on both sides of the page, and don’t write in letters that are too big, or on alternate lines. It looks very ugly and creates the impression that you are trying to make a little material look like much more.  Use both sides of the page to write your answer, and don’t leave any page blank. Clearly mark where an answer ends. Draw a rule with a pencil and scale just after the line where your answer ends, even if it is a sub-question of a question. Ideally, you should start a new answer, even if it is to a sub-question, on the next page. All this is to clearly distinguish where one answer ends and another begins. Nothing is more frustrating for an examiner than to be unable to tell where an answer has ended and a new one begun. Draw neat and clean diagrams wherever necessary or asked for, and label them properly. As far as possible, try not to scratch off entire lines of your answer, but on the rare occasion that you need to do so, it is best to draw a frame around the lines to be scratched and cross it off – it will roughly look like a rectangle with its diagonals drawn! There will be space earmarked for rough work – use it for the purpose, and draw a line across it just before you hand in your answer sheet. Also draw a line across any pages that you may have inadvertently left blank, and obtain the invigilator’s signature on such pages if necessary. Also obtain the invigilator’s signature if you need to change your pen for any reason. Finally, draw two rules where your answer paper ends. If you have taken supplementary answer book/s, then tie them securely with the tag provided, in proper order. Ensure that you have entered your details like roll number and subject properly on the main answer book as well as on the supplementary answer books. All this will go a long way in giving a neat and tidy look to your answer book, and create a good first impression when the examiner takes it for evaluation.

THE EXAM FEVER is here. Various exams for Classes X and XII are starting over the next few weeks. In this space, we have already discussed how to deal with exam stress, especially as the actual exams approach, and what last-minute preparations to make to ensure that you do well. Now, there are some important things that you need to take care of just before you take the actual exams. We are not speaking of studies here; we are sure that you have done them well, and we have dealt with that already. There are some things, other than studies, that you need to ensure are in order. And this has to be done in the two or three days just before your exams actually begin. So, first things first – ensure that you have your admit card in hand. Check it carefully to ensure that all the particulars are correct – your name, your photograph, the subjects that you have opted for, and so on. Point out any discrepancy immediately. This is the information that the board will enter on the mark-list and your certificate, on the basis of which you will pursue higher studies. So any mistake at this stage, especially in your name, will become very difficult to correct later. That is why it is important to check the details on your admit card. Make three or four photostat copies of your admit card. God forbid, if the original gets misplaced or mutilated, a copy will make reference to the details easier for you to obtain a duplicate or to ensure entry into the exam hall. Next, two or three days before the first paper, locate where exactly your centre is. Personally visit the centre, so that you know the way. This is not a waste of time – it will be better than spending time trying to locate your centre at the last moment, which may even mean that you enter the hall late! Make an estimate of how long it will take you to travel from home to the centre, then factor in half an hour for unforeseen circumstances, like a traffic diversion. With this travelling time in mind, leave home so as to reach the exam centre at least an hour before your paper is slated to start. Candidates are normally allowed entry into the hall 30 minutes before the paper commences, so reaching an hour early will give you time to relax and settle down, and enter the hall with a calm mind. If you get late, you will reach the centre with frayed nerves, which will only add to your stress, and you will end up doing badly at the paper. Also, get all your writing material in order – your pens, pencils, geometry instruments, eraser, and so on. Keep them all in one place, maybe in a schoolbag or something. If you use a writing board, ensure that it is in good condition. Have several pens, of the same kind, and pencils in your box so that you don’t get stuck if you run out of ink or if the pencil lead breaks. Every day after you return from the exam, sharpen the pencils, and top up the ink in the pens (if using ink pens). Also carry a napkin or an extra handkerchief to wipe your drawing instruments clean to avoid smudging. Once inside the centre, do not try to mug up any major portion – it will only make you more nervous. Of course, we are sure that you have been thorough in your studies and you don’t need to look at the books at the last minute. However, it is all right to read that one little formula that you are finding hard to remember, one last time. Don’t – repeat don’t – get affected by other students reading zealously from their books. Their preparations probably were not up to the mark. While you wait for the doors to the hall to open, don’t get distracted from the task on hand. Don’t get into idle chats; yes, do chat with your classmates, but keep them short; try to build up your concentration. At home, don’t suddenly change your routine; we have already told you to get into a routine such that you are at your most alert at the timings of the paper. Don’t get distracted; get only as much recreation as absolutely essential, but don’t totally deny it to yourself, either. Finally, do seek blessings from your elders and best wishes from the others, and pray to whatever deity you believe in, every day before you leave for the paper. It will give you strength and confidence.

THE EXAMINATION SEASON begins in right earnest tomorrow (February 13, 2012), with the ISC (Class XII) examination starting. The examinations of other boards begin in subsequent weeks. The ICSE (Class X) examination is slated to begin on February 27, 2012. The CBSE Class XII and Class X examinations are both scheduled to start on  March 1, 2012. The examinations of various other state boards begin on various dates. We wish all the students taking these examinations All the Best, and wish them every success.

The countdown to board exams has already begun. Practical exams are going on for CBSE students and for ISC, the clock is already ticking as they face D-day on February 13^. The stress levels are at an all-time high not only among students but also their parents and friends who wish to see them excel. The competitive pattern of after school admission to professional or academic courses is so high that it inevitably leaves the child worried and stressed all through. Some parents also tend to get overtly anxious and may be unintentionally add to the stress of the child.

To begin with parents need to be calm and supportive to ease the pressure of the child. Parents, for sure need to stop comparisons of their child to anyone, even their siblings. Children have to be pushed for better performance to be in the rat race of competitions but we, as parents need to de stress children so that they perform better. Board examinations are times of anxiety and stress. So help your child. Encourage him and support emotionally too.

Dear Children, begin each day with faith in yourself.  Be determined to do your best. Do not panic by looking at your friends just because they appear to be better prepared than you.  Keep yourself motivated. Anxiety, fear and nervousness at this juncture would lessen the efficacy of your time.

Smart Work Plan:

ü    On the basis of your preparation or performance in pre-board exams of the school, rate your readiness to take exam well in all subjects. This will help you prioritize your subjects for study.

ü    Identify your strengths and weaknesses. Focus on what all you have to do. How much you need to put in every subject?

ü    Blocks of dedicated study time with breaks will help. It is quality of time rather than the quantity of time that matters, Strike a proper balance between activities of study to keep you engaged for effective learning.

ü    Remember to do difficult subjects when you are fresh.

Revision Tips:

ü    NCERT books are a must to go through to clear all concepts and contents to excel in board exams. Success mantra to score 90% for sure is thorough NCERT text revision. Advised to go for reference books later.

ü    Study Smartly. Keep asking questions to yourself, Reinforce the important points of answering a question. Keep relating to diagrams, flow charts, formulae etc. frequently

ü    Know yourself well. Think when your brain works the best. Keep these time slots for difficult subjects. Prioritize your work plan. Do difficult subjects or topics first. Change subjects of study as per difficulty and your area of concern.

ü    Apply right strategy of revision and learning to different subjects. Practice is a must for subjects like mathematics, accounts , numerical problems in physics or chemistry but note making will help in business studies ,history whereas diagrams will help in biology and geography.

ü    Keep changing revision styles to keep you motivated. While revising, keep on making notes for last minute revision. Keep your class tests or exam papers for quick recapitulation of content learnt.

ü    Make sure you allocate adequate time for fun and relaxation as well while keeping away from distractions.

ü    Plan your work and complete it on time. Revise Regularly.

Prep Time:

ü    Keep your body clock right. Tune yourself to remain active on the study table in the morning hours specifically as per board exam timings. Check your study habits in case you are habitual of studying late night hours. Start sleeping early and study in mornings.

ü    Writing three hour exam in not only a mental exercise but also a physical fitness of the human systems to be active and alert to yield the best. Therefore setting the body clock tuned to exam timings calls for staying physically fit and healthy. So eat healthy and take adequate rest.

ü    Monitor your progress by taking mock tests. Sit for three hour test, preferably as per the timings of the board. Writing under exam conditions will help your body clock adjust to board tome and conditions.

ü    Presentations of your answers matters a lot. Practice papers should be written neatly. Well labeled diagrams to be drawn wherever necessary. Formulae and equations should be explained with symbols used. Remember everyone loves to read the content if it is presented well. You can improve your chances of scoring better.

ü    Effective Communication is the key to good scoring. Be clear and within the word limit required for all the answers as expected in the questions.

ü    Time management is very important .Avoid getting stuck on any topic. Keep it aside and take help/attempt later on. Even in examination hall it helps to keep track of time.

Stay Healthy:

`Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.”-Corrie Ten Boom

So wisely said and yet we fail to practice it and use the present constructively for our benefits.

Remember, it’s important to relax. You can perform the best only if your body and mind get adequate rest. Follow a regular sleep pattern

ü    Prevent mental fatigue, Take regular breaks. Go in for activities that maintain continuity of studies during these breaks also.

ü    Keep up with your simple exercises that are effective in relieving stress.

ü    Take care to have meals at proper times and also that are rich in vitamins and proteins. Green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits and sufficient water intake, are a must.

The Power of Positive Thinking:

Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus. Alexander Graham Bell

ü    Board exam at the moment is your goal. So set your eyes on your targets.

ü    Concentrate and bring to focus all your thoughts and efforts to achieve your goal.

Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight. –Benjamin Franklin

In the examination hall:

ü    Read the question paper carefully. Attempt first the ones you know the best and then go to the difficult ones.

ü    It’s very important to answer all sections systematically without mixing questions from different sections.

ü    Application based questions may appear to be tricky but they are for sure based on concepts of the subject. Think wisely and act but do not end up giving more time lest you fail to write what you know and you can do.

ü    Numerical problems should be preferred over theoretical questions as you get full marks in them.

ü    Time management is essential in the examination hall. Avoid wasting time on trials of unknowns. Keep aside 15 minutes for revision to check errors if any.

ü    Wish you all good luck for the examination!

“If you wish success in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counsellor, caution your elder brothers, and hope your guardian genius.” Joseph Addison

With the board exams barely a month away, the pressures are mounting high not only for the students, but also for the parents. The competitive pattern of admissions to professional or academic courses is so high that it inevitably leaves the child worried and stressed all through. Some parents also tend to get overtly anxious and, albeit unintentionally, add to the child’s stress.

To begin with, parents need to be calm and supportive to ease the pressure of the child. Parents for sure need to stop comparing their child to anyone, even their siblings. Children have to be pushed for better performance to be in the rat race of competition, but we, as parents, need to de-stress our children so that they perform better. Board examinations are times of anxiety and stress. So help your child.

It’s important for students not to let any temporary setbacks affect them. Pre-board exams might have left some students tensed if their performance has not been up to the mark. Don’t brood over this, and reinforce portions where improvement is necessary.

Remember the difference between ‘’Try” and “Triumph” is the “Umph” factor! So get hold of yourself and say that “I Can.”

Revision Tips:

ü    Plan and complete it on time. Set realistic goals.

ü    Know yourself well. Think when your brain works the best. Keep these time slots for difficult subjects.

ü    Prioritise your work plan. Do difficult subjects or topics first.

ü    Change subjects of study as per difficulty and your area of concern.

ü    Do practise writing while revising. Keep on making notes for last-minute revision.

ü    Time management is very important .Avoid getting stuck on any topic. Keep it aside and take help later on.

ü    Monitor your progress by taking mock tests. Sit for a three-hour test, preferably as per the timings of the board. Writing under exam conditions will help your body clock adjust to the board time and conditions.

ü    Make sure you allocate adequate time for fun and relaxation as well while keeping away from distractions.

ü    Study smart. Keep asking questions to yourself. Reinforce the important points of answering a question. Keep relating to diagrams, flow charts, formulae, etc. frequently.

ü    Revise regularly.

Stay Healthy:

`Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.” -Corrie Ten Boom

So wisely said, and yet we fail to practise it and use the present constructively to our benefit.

ü    Remember, it’s important to relax. You can perform at your best only if your body and mind get adequate rest. Follow a regular sleep pattern.

ü    Prevent mental fatigue. Take regular breaks. Go for activities that maintain continuity of studies during these breaks also.

ü    Keep up with simple exercises that are effective in relieving stress.

ü    Take your meals at proper times. Ensure that they are rich in vitamins and proteins. Green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits and sufficient water intake, are a must.

The Power of Positive Thinking:

Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus. Alexander Graham Bell

ü    The board exam at the moment is your goal. So set your eyes on your targets.

ü    Concentrate and bring to focus all your thoughts and efforts to achieve your goal.

Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight. –Benjamin Franklin

Wishing all students good luck for the examination ahead !!

“Time is an equal opportunity employer. Each human being has exactly the same number of hours and minutes every day. Rich people can’t buy more hours. Scientists can’t invent new minutes. And you can’t save time to spend it on another day. Even so, time is amazingly fair and forgiving. No matter how much time you’ve wasted in the past, you still have an entire tomorrow.”
― Denis Waitley

The board exams are almost here. And now begins the race against time. Who emerges a winner depends upon who has the meticulously worked game plan ready to act upon. My experience as a Principal and teacher has been that focused efforts in these days do bring in favourable results for many. Board results have always brought in surprises for me. I have found average performers of the session getting better scores, at times even more than the top performers. What I mean to emphasise is that these last few days are truly valuable, and you have a lot to gain from every moment spent judiciously on areas of your concern.

I don’t mean to say that it’s going to be easy, but it’s for sure going to be worth your effort. So take charge of your time and actions, and say “I Can.”

3 commandments to be a smart player:

Smart work plan:

* Focus on what all you have to do. How much do you need to put into every subject?

* PRIORTISE your subjects/topics as per your performance in the test exams at school. Remember, the time at your disposal before the boards is limited.

* Blocks of dedicated study time with breaks will help.

* Remember to do difficult subjects when you are fresh.

Organising the study place:

* A GOOD learning environment always inspires. Windows opening to natural surroundings or a garden brighten up the spirits.

*Identify your study place so as to concentrate better on your work. It’s time to avoid all distractions – mobiles, television, social networking sites, friends – everything!

* Arrange all resources within reach. Keep bookmarks and notepads handy.

* A timer on your study table is a must.

Execute the plan in all sincerity

“Strength of mind is exercise, not rest.” ~ Alexander Pope

 Keep your mind in action by revising /reviewing the formulae, notes and visuals of content.

Hope you are already into action till I come back to you soon!