‘Read question paper carefully, divide your time judiciously and attempt your best topics first’

It’s examination time and our children for the board classes are putting in their best efforts to get the desired results. There could be questions to which they might be seeking answers. So, here are answers to some of the frequently asked questions --

How should I take care of my mental health?
To all the children who are preparing for board examination and feeling anxious, I’d say :- Be kind and patient with yourself. It’s only natural to feel overwhelmed and others are feeling it, too. Find support and talk openly about your fears. Give yourselves small achievable goals and in your daily regimen include-

1. Regular study hours interspersed with short and frequent breaks (water break, stretch break, snack break, stroll break…)

2. One outdoor light fitness activity (walking, running, jogging, cycling…) This will also help you eat well and sleep well.

3. Wholesome, home-made healthy meal.

4. Sound sleep for 7 to 8 hours.

What should be my strategic planning?
Sheer hard work is not enough. But hard work with a strategy, can take you places. Once you have done the foundation work of reading the textbooks; understanding the syllabus and blueprint, you are good to go. Now start studying intensively.

1. Draw out your own timetable for revision. Devote more time to the subject where you don’t feel confident enough

2. Rather than reading five different books on the topic, it is much better to read one good book five times. You will remember that longer

3. For, CBSE board exams, just stick to your NCERT textbooks. If you can master them, your good grades are assured.

4. Create mind maps for all topics you read. Mind maps help you understand and remember more effectively.

What can I do for last-minute preparation?
With examinations just a few weeks away, studying only with textbooks won’t help. That requires a lot of time and you do not have that kind of time now. If you have prepared well, you have read and re-read the textbooks several times, by now. Just in case you missed the bus, and are starting your exam preparation late, then also, depending only on the textbooks, won’t help.

What you now need is - sample papers. Solve as many of these as possible. Getting sample papers is easy. There are papers available on the internet and in the markets. Solve all sample papers and worksheets that your school has given you. Take preboard papers from your friends who could be in other schools. Time yourself and solve these papers religiously. Write down the answers that you know. Later, look up the answers that you did not know and solve the paper again.

If you are aiming for above 90% solve 7, 8 or 9 sample papers. And if you are feeling jittery and not sure of your preparation, then also solve at least 2 or 3 sample papers to get decent marks. This is the strategy successfully used by all toppers.

What should I do once I am inside the examination hall?
Reach well in time. Settle down and take a sip of water (just a sip, no more)

1. Read the question paper very carefully. Divide your time judiciously. You must know how much time to give for each question.

2. Attempt your best topics first.

3. Presentation is more important than you realise. Write neatly.

4. Rather than putting everything together in one big paragraph, write different points on different lines.

5. Between two points leave a blank line.

6. Underline the keywords. That makes the examiners’ work easier.

7. Don’t ever leave any question unattempted in the board exam since there is no negative marking here. Attempt each and every question. Even if you know half the answer, write it.

Most of all, stay cool calm, collected. It is just another exam which millions before you have already cracked very successfully and you will, too.

All the best!

Bhavana Kulshrestha is the Principal of Amity International School, Vasundhara, Ghaziabad. Views expressed are personal.