How to ace your Board exams

No matter what the world tells us, the exam anxiety is not easy to overcome, particularly so when one is taking the Board exams. Every parent and child is in the constant search of a magic formula to ace it.

But what makes the Boards different from other exams?

Most kids grow up hearing terrifying tales of these exams. The most important factor that people worry about is the exam paper itself. Will the questions be tricky? Will the question paper conform to the syllabus prescribed? Will the paper be lengthy? Doubts and fears abound.

Know the syllabus

There is no escape from this stress. Let us face it. However, there are some things that can be done to deal with this. Here are a few steps:

Most of the Boards strictly adhere to the ‘scope of the syllabus’. Their websites clearly list all the topics that children are expected to be taught and the paper will have questions only from the prescribed syllabus. The sure shot way to crack the Board paper is to familiarise oneself with this and prepare accordingly.

The preparation for any exam should begin right from the start. Exams are but a test of knowledge. The good old way of going by the textbook is perhaps the best way to crack the papers.

Revising the textbook multiple times will make you more confident and put you in a better position to write the exam. While scores of children believe in just working out past question papers, it is just one of the ways to test your knowledge acquired.

ICSE and CBSE websites are a treasure trove of information for children appearing for Board exams. These websites have extensive material on how children should present their answer scripts. This is perhaps the simplest way to learn how to approach any question in the exam.

Solved question paper guides may not be of much use because they encourage rote learning and don’t help in understanding the subject. Access various worksheets, videos and practice papers and use them wisely. There are some paid websites where you can access question papers from different schools.

Subjects like Geography have map-marking exercise which are easy to score. Try to ace them. Try marking them in printed maps and aim for precision. Marking a city a few centimetres away can actually result in hundreds of kilometres away in the real map. So, be careful while marking the map.

An academic year always has a couple of days of holidays thrown in between. Use them judiciously. Plan to finish all the project work during this time so that once the school reopens, you can devote your time well for studies and other activities.

Make a list of all suggestions that teachers give you over the year so that, you can go over them before the prelims and improve your performance.

Don’t give up on your activities because of the Boards. Eat healthy. Drink enough water. Take walks, run or swim to keep your mind fresh. Definitely get your full sleep. You shouldn’t go to the exam hall feeling exhausted and sleepy.

Take a break from using the mobile phone. It can distract you from studies. Use your computer instead and stick to websites that complement your study.

Your teachers are your greatest asset. They understand you better than anyone else. Clear your doubts with them. Contrary to what people believe, teachers love and support a true learner. They are only happy to see you bloom into a winner.

Cracking the Boards is not difficult. It gives you a sneak peek into the real world you are about to enter which is competitive. Study well and give your exam.

Good luck!