DAY OF EXAMINATION
Dear friends, I’ve found, often students complain that they don’t understand why they got less marks or why they failed. And at the end, they put blame on ICAI’s checking pattern or start compromising with their current situation. They don’t try to find out their drawbacks or some measures that can help them.
Here are few points which I think everyone should consider on the day before as well as on the DAY OF EXAMINATION.
1. Don’t learn or read anything new on the day before the day of exam. All you should do is to revise what you have already done.
Ø Usually, some students have tendency to learn certain points or some important topics on the day before the day of exam. They consider that by doing this, they could easily recall such topics on exam day, which is converse. All we learn during our normal leave period is stored in our sub-conscious mind and that helps us on our exam day. But, the new topics we take on a day before exam-day are hard to remember, coz we just cram them and not understand.
Ø So, on just the day before exam, every student should try to revise as many things as he/she can do. Moreover, focus should be made on important topics initially and then shift to minor topics or else there will be shortage of time, due to which remaining important topics will be left unrevised.
2. On the day of examination do that question first, which you know the best. This will lead a good impression on the mind of the person who will check your copies and as well boost your importance.
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As such, many of us start with Question 1 always, I myself used to do the same. But still, I think it’s important that one should start with the Question which he/she is utmost confident. Reason is very simple, I mean, apart from impressing the examiner, it definitely helps in boosting the confidence of student.
Ø Various students, when they fail to attain their question 1 properly, perform bad in other questions too (though other questions may be easy). So, this is something which makes a student nervous and lets him down.
Ø Every student should spent 30-40 seconds to go through question paper first, then decide which question he can attain best, start with the same and take as much time as he/she can. Thereafter, speed up for rest of the questions.
3. Always begin answer to any question with one or two summary sentences.
Ø This is something, students don’t do in hurry. Dear members and fellow students, look examiner is a person and he does expects something extra then just getting a bookish answer. Presentation or decorating the answer or even underlining few important words is not as important as giving introduction or writing ending note.
Ø What is asked is definitely important, but more than that, a student should understand what is to be answered and how much to be answered.
Ø In various case studies asked in exams, students just discuss the case studies asked. The never mention any case law related, or any topic related to that case study. I really don’t understand why this happens. Why students remain stick to the content? I know in exams, especially CA exams, time is less and ICAI itself asks u to give answer only & only related to question. But does that mean you should start haphazardly and end it in the same manner.
Ø You need to give little introduction as well ending note like conclusion, or the solution.
4. Try to attempt all questions. [Not for CPT students of course]
Ø Another aspect that I discussed with everyone, I don’t know why, students simply leave the question which they don’t know what to answer. There are no negative marks dear friends. And as I said, whichever question you don’t know, do it at the end, initially start with the question which you think you can answer the best. But don’t leave any question in exam.
Ø My practical example, I hereby want to share, mine was JUNE 09 attempt. I literally did not study anything in audit, I could not do that subject thoroughly. I was sure that I’m going to get duck in that subject, but though I attempted that paper. To everyone’s surprise, paper didn’t consist any direct question, only the case studies were asked in complete paper. I attained the entire question, though didn’t study any case study before or not having that practical knowledge. I attained all the questions to my best level. I got highest in that subject only, 67.
Ø If I would have left the paper or some questions, like many of my friends did, I would have failed or have got lesser marks.
Ø So, whatsoever happens, don’t think that you don’t know anything about the question or you cant answer properly or any such weird feeling. Just attain the question as if you know everything and will attain it according to your own understanding.
5. Write legibly & big so that it is clearly visible from distance.
Ø ICAI charges us exam fees, it won’t demand another money if we fill one or more extra supplements. So, be free to write bigger and use as much space as you require. There is no harm in that.
6. After the exam do not discuss the paper with any body. What has happened has happened it cannot be changed. Discussion will only spoil your other papers.
Ø I think, this is a human tendency to do. Every student, after completing the paper wants to know how his/her friend attempted the paper. I mean, c’mon guys, what difference that is going to make. If you think that you have done best and someone else has not, then also, its fine. But what if the situation is converse and you have come to know the same after you attained the paper?
Ø Various students discuss their papers with their friends and have felt worst consequences. What is the need to discuss the paper? Once you come to know that you have done something wrong in your answers, that will hinder you all the day and will not let you concentrate on preparations for next exam. What is the logic behind spoiling your own mood and spoiling your further exams too?
Ø I think, once you finished your paper, you should never discuss regarding your exams that you already appeared but for the one which is about to come. Atleast that will help you in revising or not generating more & more pressure in your mind.
7. Once all your exams are over, you should make a note of all the mistakes and drawbacks for future reference. Look them before the next exams.
Ø Yes, this is something that every student should follow. Once your exams are over, spend some time to go through all the papers and decide what mistakes have you made in those exams. That will help you to estimate what are the possible chances of you getting pass and if at all you’ll fail, what will be the areas that you now need to concentrate.
Ø I’m now in CA FINAL, though I feel that there were many areas in PCC that I overlooked, though I cleared, but still I could have performed well.
Ø For e.g., was the time allocation while preparing for any topic or subject proper, strategies followed were correct or not, the books you referred were enough or was their any possibility to get best than what you have done, etc.
Ø You should make a note of all this, and should follow and rectify your mistakes that you committed earlier.
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