Anita Karwal CBSE chairperson
While everyone tries their best, it is important to channelise one’s efforts in the right direction. Students should not get stressed about the results at this stage, but concentrate more on preparing for the exams. They can practice from sample papers and go through a marking scheme to understand the pattern and weightage given to each topic. We also have the best answers attempted by past students in board exams on our website ( cbse.nic.in ) and students can take a cue from them. Time management, regular revisions and writing practice will also help build confidence and help students perform better.
EARLY START
Raksha Gopal Class XII 2017 topper, Noida
Preparations should begin as early as three months before the exams. It is important to have an understanding of every topic, clear doubts at least a month before the exam so that one can revise everything beforehand. One should remember that stress is not going to help, the more one practises, the lesser would be the stress. Apart from preparations, the way to attempt the exam is also important. What helped me most during my exam was the initial 15 minutes given to read the question paper. Those 15 minutes are very crucial. One should read the question paper thoroughly and prepare a mental map of how to attempt the exam. It is also important to prepare a mental map on how much time to devote on which portion and the question to attempt first. If a student does not know the answers to some questions, it is important to be relaxed as a stressed mind will not help in the recollection of the correct answers.
INDIVIDUAL CARE
Sudhanya Karan Principal, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Kolkata
Students need individual care for the board exams as every student has a different capacity and aspiration. It is the duty of the schools to ensure that every student realises his/her potential and know their strong and weak points before appearing for the board exams. Apart from the pre-boards, there are other assessment examinations to evaluate students. Based on these exams, we divide students into groups. Those with high marks have extra classes where they can work towards scoring more marks, while those students who score lesser marks have special classes where their doubts are cleared and they are made to work on their weak points. Students feel less stressed if they know their capacity and this helps them to work accordingly. It also helps to lessen the levels of anxiety as students are mentally prepared for what their score is likely to be.
STRESS MANAGEMENT
Swati Salunkhe Counsellor, Mumbai
Most queries we receive from students are regarding the career choices they would make after class XII rather than the exam itself. This results in stress. Students need to prioritise and focus on exams first and career options later. No matter which career path one wishes to take, they need to have a good score, for which it is important to focus on studies. Nothing can replace hard work. To have better concentration, students should take regular breaks after every 2-3 hours of continuous study. Following a routine is also important. One should have proper sleep of around eight hours daily and follow a healthy diet. Students also find it hard to strike a balance between the entrance exams and the boards. My suggestion to them is to have a clear understanding of their subjects. NCERT books are the basis for both the entrance test as well as class XII examinations.
http://educationtimes.com/article/208/2018010320180103090210734a33a3169/Braving-the-Boards.html
