We all know that examinations play a very significant role in our lives. They not only review our knowledge but also helps us realise where we stand in studies among our peers.

Board exams act as a stepping stone for our professional future. They are a test of merit and successful accomplishment of the exam takes a student to another level.

For example:

Rachita scored low marks in her pre-board exams. Her parents were worried about her low marks, as they believed that her pre-board scores will determine the kind of performance she would deliver in the final exams. While this may be true to an extent, a bad performance in pre-boards doesn’t necessarily indicate that the student will fare bad in his/her board exams as well.

Why are pre-board exams important?

• The pre-board exam helps students judge their preparation level and acts as a wake-up call to help them plan their days ahead

• They help students gear up for final board exams and take necessary steps to start working on weak areas without feeling stressedThere is absolutely no need to get worried and lose all hope of bagging good scores

• While the board exams are a few months away, students can still utilise the remaining time to the hilt, work on their weaker areas and build upon their confidence levels.

Therefore, chalk out a proper time-table that encompasses everything– from your sleep schedule to your study pattern– and stick to it.

Given below are few tips that can be incorporated in your study schedule to tackle those difficult areas prior to your board exams:

1.    Plan your schedule:

Now, as you know your weak areas, your agenda should be to give extra time to tackle those difficult lessons and transform them to strong ones. Prepare a timetable to prioritise and take care of the important and weaker sections first.

It helps you procrastinate less and gives you the freedom to plan your schedule the way you want. While you have allotted additional time to master those tricky subjects, do not ignore the other lessons.

2.    Note-making is an effective method:

Revising the whole syllabus from scratch may seem impossible in the limited time available.

Therefore, prepare short notes and list out the main points or draw diagrams that can help you to recall all the answers quickly.

The act of writing notes or drawing flow charts consolidates in your memory and is more effective than only reading or mugging up your lessons.

In this way, you will be able grasp the points better and remember everything you need to know during the exam.

3.    Solve previous years’ question papers:

This technique will boost ones confidence. A candidate will be able to understand the kind of questions to be expected in the exam and prepare accordingly.

Especially, you can look at the weightage of marks allotted for those areas you find difficult and work upon it.

Solving past papers help you to get used to the format of the questions, and spend the right amount of time on each section. Solve questions of varying difficulty and try to finish them during the allotted time as mentioned on the question paper.

4.    Understand the concepts while studying:

Some students mug up theories without understanding the concepts. In this way, they are unable to answer a question asked in a different format. Therefore, it is essential to understand the concepts related to reasoning, mechanism, application, etc., to perform better in the exam.

5.    Group study can help:

Studying in a group can help you to tackle those difficult areas and learn faster. You will find it easier to discuss the topic with your friends, who can help you to fix the problem areas and introduce you to better study techniques. Those areas that may seem confusing to you might be easier for your friends.

They will share their notes on that particular section which may help you to understand better. But make sure the group you select should benefit you in learning rather than wasting time where others themselves are not clear on concepts.

With these and other few methods, you can make sure that you prepare correctly and confidently for your board exams.

Believe in yourself; there is still time to improve your performance and score better marks. Do not panic; push yourself harder and make sure that you are poised to face the final board examination.

Authored article by Aakash Chaudhry, Director, Aakash Educational Services Pvt. Ltd.