Term exams are important, especially if one is taking the Boards next year. ANURAG TIWARI tells aspirants how they can ace mid-term tests
With exam season in full swing in most of the schools, it is time to step up your preparation and work hard to achieve a perfect score. Terminal exams play an important role and are the stepping stones to your success in Boards. They help evaluate your preparation and enhance your learning. It is, thus, important to pay attention to its preparation. Given below are effective ways that can help you prepare well for the exams and give you an edge over others.
Analyse the syllabus and exam pattern
Knowing the syllabus well and understanding the exam pattern is a crucial part of preparation. Unless you do not know what you are going to be tested on, you simply cannot start preparing for it. While analysing the syllabus and exam pattern, make note of the chapters that are of maximum weightage, important topics, number of questions asked and their pattern, and difficulty level. Additionally, understanding the examination, question paper pattern, syllabus and difficulty level can help you implement effective strategies to handle the exam well.
Prepare with NCERT books
If you happen to scan through the previous year papers, you'll find that the syllabus of the CBSE is completely based on the NCERT books. Your teachers will never test you beyond the NCERT syllabus. A detailed study of the NCERT textbook is, thus, vital as every line of the book entails important information. Studying from the NCERT is ideal for a thorough and comprehensive understanding of the concepts that can give you an edge over others and help you to score well in your exams.
Solve in-text and exercise questions available in NCERT
As you are aware, the chapters in your NCERT textbook consist of both In-Text Questions as well as other Exercise Questions. These questions can be your key to success. By solving these questions, you can test your knowledge of the chapter and find out about your strengths and weaknesses and improve on them.
Practice previous year papers of terminal exams
If possible, try to procure previous year papers of terminal exams from your seniors. Solving them will help you gain an insight into the exam pattern and familiarize you with important topics. Additionally, you should solve as many mock tests as possible. It will not only improve your speed and accuracy but also make you confident of your preparation and aid in better time management during the exam.
Practice writing skills
Writing answers to subjective questions as asked in school exams is an art. Before you jump into writing the answer, plan it in your head first. A well planned and structured answer will ensure all the necessary information is included. Practice writing your answers strategically and to the point. You can highlight the important keywords or underline important words to attract the attention of the examiner. Wherever asked, draw the diagram and label it well.
Adhere to the word limit
There ought to be a reason why the word-limit is well prescribed for different question types such as, Very Short Answer (VSA), Short Answer (SA), Long Answer (LA) etc. Pay heed to that and never go beyond the prescribed words. Keep your answers compact and concise by following the word limit. Include only relevant information while answering the questions. If you think your answer will not suffice in the decided word limit, break it into points and you are sorted.
