Board examinations are a significant milestone for students. Here are a few dos and don’ts to get your board exam prep right.

Board examinations play a key role in college admissions and in securing a good job. It’s thus justified that students get anxious about performing well in board examinations. Preparing for board exams can be stressful as students juggle homework, competitive test preparation, extracurricular activities, and much more at the same time. To increase your chances of scoring high, and to help you avoid stress and anxiety, here are a few dos and don’ts for board exam preparation.

The Dos

1. Make Your Own Notes

To make revision easy and to increase your capacity to recall important concepts in the exam, make your own notes. It’s even more useful if you write them in your own words. Composing notes gives you more clarity of concepts and makes them easier to comprehend when you revise them later. While making notes, don’t just refer to your notebooks or textbooks. Add information and key facts from other reference material that has been suggested by your teachers. Using textbook language in examinations is a sign of rote learning. If you want to score higher, write the answers in your own words but make sure you cover all the points. This is easily achievable if you write your own notes, especially in a question and answer format.

2. Take Mock Tests

If you want to ace your examinations, the only way to do so is to practice well. Solve as many question papers and mock tests as you can. In board examinations, a few questions are repeated every year. So, taking mock tests will help you identify important topics. They also help identify any gaps in your learning. Attempt at least four to five mock tests for each subject before the exam.

3. Time Your Practice Sessions

On the day of your examination, you will not be given an extended time to complete your answers. It’s important to increase your writing speed and make sure that you finish your paper on time. You can achieve this by setting a timer while practicing mock tests. If your examination is of 3-hour duration, your goal should be to finish it in 2 hours and 45 minutes.

4. Answer Easy Questions First

On reading the question paper during the exam, answer easy sections first. Board examinations offer the flexibility of answering the sections in your preferred sequence. Take advantage of this because it will help you save time for tougher sections. However, you will have to complete all answers in a section before proceeding to the next one.

The Don’ts

1. Don’t Forget to Practice Diagrams

Usually, students just go through diagrams without practicing them. If you want to score high in your board examinations, practice diagrams well. Draw important diagrams at least two to three times without referring to the textbook. Make sure you are thorough with the labels, and that your diagram is neat.

2. Don’t Procrastinate

Try covering the entire syllabus at least a month before your exams. This will leave you with enough time for revision. Don’t procrastinate and leave things for the last moment.

3. Don’t Study for Long Hours Without a Break

As much as it is important to study hard for the examinations, don’t overwork yourself. After a point in time, the brain gets saturated with information. When this happens, your brain will tire out and you’ll forget most of the concepts or mix up the information. To avoid this, take frequent breaks during your study sessions. For every two hours of study, take a 5-minute break to unwind.

4. Don’t Forget to Carry Your Stationery and Documents on Exam Day

The board examination authorities have strict rules against sharing stationery. Additionally, they won’t let you sit for the examination if you are missing an important document (for instance, your hall ticket). So, make sure you carry everything you need. A day before the examination, prepare a list of things you will need on exam day. Then, make sure you pack everything according to the list.

Board examinations are one of the most important examinations of your life. Believe in yourself and start preparing for them well in advance. Following the right set of rules is half the battle won!