CBSE Class 12 Exam Tips: ‘Students must copy the question from the paper correctly’

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has slated the Math exam for March 9, 2024. This is probably the only subject that most students fear. This is because despite being a scoring subject, this is where students make maximum marks. A low score in Math can bring down a student’s entire percentage. Hence, the adage: Practice makes you perfect. 

While many students must have already completed their initial round of prep for the exam, studying the chapters needs to be complemented by solving several question papers to ensure one is exam-ready. According to Suman Saluja, PGT Math at Apeejay School, Pitampura, students need to write down all the common mistakes they have identified from their previous exams, mock tests, and sample papers on a sheet of paper for review. “This helps in focusing on areas that need improvement,” Saluja said and shared tips on what to do a day before the exam.

·         Keep all important formulas related to each chapter visible on the study table, preferably pasted on pieces of paper. This ensures quick revision and reinforces memory retention.

·         Revise chapters according to their weightage in the curriculum, such as Trigonometry, Relations and Functions, Matrices and Determinants, and Calculus.

·         Prioritise revising chapters with the highest marks allocation first, as mastering these can help secure a significant portion of the total marks.

·         Get a good night’s sleep – at least seven to eight hours.

·         Go through the answer sheets of previous year’s CBSE toppers to understand their approach to answering questions, such as how they maintain cleanliness, manage margins, and structure their answers. This can provide insights into effective exam strategies and presentations.

“Besides having a proper revision strategy in place, it is important to have a strategy about how the student will attempt the question paper on the day of the exam,” Sajula said and shared the following strategies on how to attempt the question paper.

·         Read the question paper thoroughly. Utilise the 15 minutes given to plan how to begin. Ensure that you choose the section you are confident in first. Attempt all the questions in the section.

·         Practice time management by allocating specific times to different types of questions (1 mark, 2 marks, 3 marks, 5 marks questions, and case-based questions). This helps in ensuring that all sections of the exam can be completed within the allotted time, improving the chances of scoring higher.

“It is important to allocate proper time to each section. For example, MCQs should be completed in 20 minutes,” Saluja advised.

·         Write the answers in neat and legible handwriting.

·         Ensure that you copy the question from the paper correctly. The Board will cut all marks if the question has been copied wrong.

“If the answer flows to another page copy the last line correctly as well. A plus sign can easily be copied as a multiplication resulting in a wrong answer and a student getting marks cut,” Saluja said.

·         Ensure that you write the units for each question.

“If the student has scored full marks, the question paper goes for evaluation. The Board is looking for even the slightest mistake to cut half a mark. For example, on the graph write the scale and write what is in the Y axis and X axis. Make the graph with a sharp pencil,” Saluja advised.

·         Keep at least 15-20 minutes to revise the answer sheet properly. Check if the calculations are correct, if the question has been copied correctly, and if units have been mentioned in the answer at the end.