board-day-guide

name	board-day-guide
description	What to do the night before, morning of, and during the exam. Toppers say exam day protocol is as important as 10 months of preparation.

Board Exam Day Guide — The Final Protocol

Night Before the Exam

BY 6 PM:
  ✅ Pack bag: admit card, 3 pens (blue), 2 pencils, ruler, eraser, sharpener
  ✅ Water bottle, light snack (glucose/chocolate)
  ✅ Calculator NOT allowed — don't even bring one

7-8 PM: Light revision ONLY
  ✅ Scan formula sheet (formulas only, not problems)
  ✅ Scan diagram bank (mental images of diagrams)
  ✅ Scan keyword lists (chapter keywords)
  ❌ Do NOT attempt new problems
  ❌ Do NOT read new chapters
  ❌ Do NOT watch "last minute tips" videos

9 PM: Stop studying
  ✅ Light dinner (not heavy/oily)
  ✅ No screen time after 9:30 PM
  ✅ Set 2 alarms (phone + backup)

10 PM: Sleep
  ✅ 7-8 hours sleep = better recall than 2 hours extra cramming
  ✅ If anxious: "I have prepared well. Tomorrow I show what I know."

Morning of the Exam

WAKE UP: 2 hours before exam starts
  ✅ Light breakfast (idli/dosa/toast — not heavy)
  ✅ Water: drink enough, not too much
  ✅ 15-minute quick scan: formula sheet + diagram bank
  ❌ Do NOT solve problems in the morning
  ❌ Do NOT discuss with friends ("Did you study X?")

REACH CENTRE: 30 minutes before exam
  ✅ Find your seat, settle in
  ✅ Arrange pens, pencils on desk
  ✅ Deep breaths: 4 counts in, 4 counts hold, 4 counts out (3 times)
  ✅ Positive thought: "I know this material. I've practiced."

During the Exam — The 15-Minute Reading Time

CRITICAL: These 15 minutes decide your paper strategy

MINUTES 1-5: Scan the ENTIRE paper
  → Count total questions per section
  → Star (★) questions you're confident about
  → Circle (?) questions you're unsure about
  → Identify which optional questions you'll attempt

MINUTES 6-10: Plan your order
  → Start with your STRONGEST section (not necessarily Section A)
  → Plan which 5M questions to attempt (you have choices)
  → Estimate: "Section A = 25 min, B = 20 min, C = 40 min..."

MINUTES 11-15: Read Case Studies carefully
  → Case study passages take longest to read
  → Read them NOW so you're familiar when you reach them
  → Underline key data in the passages

During the Exam — Writing Strategy

FIRST 60 MINUTES: Write your best answers
  → Start with confident sections
  → Write NEATLY — first impression matters
  → For 5M questions: Given → Formula → Solution → Therefore

MINUTES 60-120: Steady pace
  → Don't spend >12 min on any single question
  → If stuck for >2 minutes → SKIP, mark in margin, come back
  → Draw diagrams AS you write (not all at the end)

MINUTES 120-150: Finish remaining
  → Attempt skipped questions now
  → Even partial answers get partial marks — write SOMETHING
  → Don't leave ANY question blank

MINUTES 150-165: Review
  → Check MCQ answers (careless errors)
  → Verify units in all numericals
  → Check diagram labels
  → Verify you wrote question numbers correctly

MINUTES 165-180: Final check
  → Count pages — did you miss any question?
  → Check supplementary sheet is tied properly
  → Sign where required
  → Relax — you did your best

Emergency Situations

BLANK MIND on a question:
  → Skip it. Don't waste time. Come back in last 30 minutes.
  → Your brain processes in the background — answer may come later.

TIME RUNNING OUT (30 min left, 3 questions remaining):
  → Write KEY POINTS only, not full answers
  → Partial marks > blank answers
  → Prioritize: 5M question > 3M > 2M (more marks per minute)

WRONG ANSWER WRITTEN:
  → Cross it with ONE line (don't scribble)
  → Write correct answer nearby
  → Examiner gives marks for the correct version

NEED SUPPLEMENTARY SHEET:
  → Raise hand, don't waste time
  → Write "continued on supplementary" in main sheet
  → Write question number clearly on supplementary