How to beat CBSE result related anxiety?

After attempting final CBSE examinations, the next thing that students anxiously wait for is the news of declaration of the official CBSE results. Post-exam students are often seen trying to evaluate their performance by calculating their tentative score in the exam, and comparing their performance with that of their peers etc. All these actions betray their anxious wait for the CBSE results. It is normal for students to be excited about their performance in the CBSE exams, but students should make sure that they do not get ‘plagued’ with anxiety to the extent that they start treating their results as a ‘verdict’ on the direction their life is going to take. Students should also understand that marks obtained or the grades scored by them in these exams are at best an indication of their performance for these particular exams and are unlikely to have any significant impact on their life as a whole.

Here are a few tips to help all you students out there who are eagerly waiting for their CBSE results, and suggestions on how to beat exam result related anxiety.

• Stop discussing! It is important for students to stop discussing about the exams and their performance once it is over. The more students tend to discuss about the exams there are increased chances that they will also discuss about the mistakes committed by them in these exams! The futility of the entire exercise cannot be overemphasized, cos after all, you will never get to write that very exam again!
• Plan for the future! Students should utilize their time by planning for their future and setting their career goals. Once through with the exams, students should research extensively about the existing career options and also try to explore new career opportunities available to them, keeping their interest and aptitudes in mind. Keeping their minds occupied with such thoughts and channelizing their energies constructively will help student beat CBSE result related stress and will also yield productive outputs
• Engage into physical activities/ hobby courses! Soaring competition levels and increase in expectations from all corners leaves students with little time during the academic year to engage in physical activities and hobby courses. With nothing much to do after the exams, students can keep themselves busy in these activities before the CBSE results are announced. These activities will help students un-wind themselves and will also provide them an opportunity to beat the stress and develop their personality at the same time.
• Celebrate your result! Before the final CBSE results are announced, it is important for students to make necessary arrangements to celebrate their results. Good or bad, students should look forward to their results rather than fear the day when the CBSE results will be announced. It is important for students to look at their CBSE results in perspective and not let their spirits dampen if they failed to perform as per their own or others’ expectations. Taking everything positively, students should set higher goals for themselves and work harder to achieve those goals.

Now that all you students out there know how to beat CBSE result related anxieties do not exhaust yourself by constantly worrying about your results. Just try out these tips and look ahead to the future confidently.

All the very best for your results!

Tackling CBSE Question Paper

You prepared well, wrote your CBSE Question Paper satisfactorily and accordingly calculated your score to lie somewhere between 75-80%.  But your final results leave you feeling shocked! For no apparent reasons, you seemed to have scored far less than your expectations. Does this not sound familiar too many of you students who are reading this?

Let us try and understand what might have happened. Though you attempted the CBSE Question Paper to the best of your best ability, you might have overlooked some important points while writing the answers to the CBSE Question Paper. Let me spell out a few tips that you can use the next time you write/prepare for your CBSE Question Paper:

1. Read all the instructions carefully and use the 15 minutes allotted for reading the question paper judiciously. While glancing at the CBSE Question Paper, pay attention to key words like ‘elaborate’, ‘classify’, ‘comment’ etc and tailor your answer accordingly.
2. Strictly adhere to the word limit prescribed for the CBSE Question Paper. Many students may not know that marks are deducted for exceeding the word limit. Therefore, the next time you answer a short answer question carrying two marks weightage, there is no point writing unending paragraphs for the same. Try to restrict your answer to 2-3 lines.
3. It is advisable to attempt all the questions in a section at a single go (like section A, B, C) while writing your CBSE Question Paper. Irrespective of the order of the sections, attempt first the section that you are most comfortable with. Doing so will boost your confidence as you smoothly tackle section after section and will set the pace for writing the answers to those tricky questions, as you attempt the CBSE Question Paper.
4. Start by attempting those questions within a section the answers to which you are 100% confident about. A terrific start makes a positive impression on the examiner and there are chances that he/she might just overlook some of your minor mistakes.
5. Students make the common mistake of not marking the question number clearly in their answer sheets while attempting their CBSE Question Paper. An answer like this may go unnoticed by the examiner while checking the CBSE Questions Paper and thereby you may lose precious marks. To avoid such a situation the next time you attempt the CBSE Question Paper highlight the question number in the answer sheet.
6. While answering the comprehension type of questions, especially in the language papers read the whole paragraph first and understand it in totality before attempting to answer. Doing so will help you score better.
7. While attempting your CBSE Question Paper, base your answers on your NCERT text books. For an enhanced conceptual understanding of some topics, you may refer to other books but you will earn more marks if your answers are aligned as per the content in the NCERT books.
8. To avoid skipping a question in the CBSE, ICSE, SSLC question paper, each time you are done with a question, tick off the corresponding question number on the CBSE Question Paper so as to avoid any confusion.
9. Pay special attention to correct spellings, a neat and legible handwriting, a tidy and organized paper etc. as these can fetch you that additional mark or two, that can give you the much needed edge!.

Hope these tips will help you identify and take care of these small but significant details the next time you attempt your CBSE Question Paper.

CBSE Physics

Get your act together for CBSE Physics if you aspire to crack the toughest entrance exams in India and secure a seat in the best engineering college. Thousands of students each year sit for these competitive exams that just have a few hundred seats to offer. With increasing number of students aiming to crack these entrance exams each year, competition levels are soaring. In a situation like this how to keep stress levels under control and prepare well for these entrance exams and also be sure of the performance? After reading this article, questions like these will no longer trouble you. This article will help you arrive at ways that will make cracking the most difficult engineering entrance exam easy. 

• Plan for the academic years in advance! If you are in class XI, now is the right time to start planning and preparing for your engineering entrance exams. Students in class XI and XII should lay emphasis largely on three subjects i.e. CBSE Physics, Maths and Chemistry. Thorough understanding of concepts in these subjects is imperative to help them emerge with flying colours. The engineering entrance examination papers are primarily geared to check the conceptual knowledge of students majorly in these subjects. Therefore, students are advised to start planning for their entrance exams while they are studying in class XI. However, if you have lost out on some precious time, there is no point getting stressed out. Start preparing for these entrance exams right away!
• Get your basics clear! It is of utter importance for students preparing for these engineering entrance exams to have their knowledge of basics concepts and processes in CBSE Physics, Chemistry and Maths crystal clear. The questions asked in these entrance exams are based on the concepts taught in CBSE Physics, Chemistry and Maths for classes XI and XII but of a higher difficulty level. Therefore, before starting to prepare for these engineering entrance exams students are advised to thoroughly go through their NCERT books for CBSE Physics, Chemistry and Maths. While preparing for the entrance exams students should practice hard the end-of-chapter questions in these NCERT books. Students can also choose to seek help from various websites that provide free NCERT solutions for CBSE Physics, CBSE Chemistry and CBSE Maths.
• Pass your CBSE board exams with more than 60% marks! Some students may not know that majority of the engineering institutes in India have an eligibility criteria for admission. As per this eligibility criterion, students should have passed their CBSE board exams with more than 60% marks. A condition like this gives more reasons to students preparing for these entrance exams to take their NCERT books for CBSE Physics, Chemistry and Maths seriously. While preparing for the board exams, students should also practice from the previous years’ board papers for CBSE Physics, Chemistry and Maths. There are a few websites that provide previous years’ solved board papers, model tests and practice tests for these subjects to help students score well in their board exams.
• Seek help from entrance exam aligned test papers! After preparing for your board exams, students should practice concepts from the model question papers and test series for entrance exams. This will help students get a hang of the type of questions that are usually asked in these engineering entrance exams from CBSE Physics, Chemistry and Maths.

Now that all you students know how to prepare for your engineering entrance exams, I am positive that cracking these exams won’t be difficult.

All the best!

Tips for CBSE Papers

Each time CBSE Papers (board exams) approach, students witness higher anxiety levels manifesting in sweaty palms, shaky legs and twitching fingers. The fear of exams gives most students sleepless nights. Students often tend to find it difficult to get down to studying and try to seek answers from their friends as to where to begin. The problem does not end here. Panic attacks before entering examination hall, issues like how to answer CBSE Papers and what to do once you are done with your exams crops up.

Here are a few tips for all you students out there who are to face CBSE Papers or any other board exams (conducted by other boards). It is important for students to learn to deal with the situation by breaking it down into stages. The entire examination period can be thus, divided into three stages i.e. Pre Exam, During Exam and Post Exam.

1. Pre Exam:- The most important key to fare well in any exam is to prepare well. Before starting it is important to go through the entire CBSE syllabus for your grade. Start off with the difficult subjects first, as fresh mind allows for fast and effective understanding and memorization of concepts. Prepare a time table for yourself in detail that lists down when and how you plan to deal with all the subjects.  For attempting CBSE Papers well, going through all the related NCERT text books thoroughly is a primary requirement. Generally NCERT text books deal with all the relevant topics in detail, however if you feel the need seek help from the reference books suggested for CBSE Papers, feel free to do so. While studying subjects like Social Sciences, it may be a good idea to practice CBSE papers for each of the individual subjects like History, Geography and Civics separately. Be careful not to delve excessively into a subject that you like; concentrating on ’least preferred’ subjects first will help you make the most of your revision time.
   Once done with memorizing key points, try to revise at least once before attempting the final CBSE Paper. If you are left with enough time before the final exams, try your hand on mock tests prescribed for CBSE Papers.
   
2. During Exam:- Once you enter the examination hall, do not stress yourself or panic. First read all the instructions and the marking scheme carefully. Accordingly, allocate your time for each question. An answer within the prescribed word limit that covers all the important points will fetch you more marks in CBSE Papers than writing lengthy and incomplete answers. If possible, support your answers with diagrammatic representations. Your writing should be legible enough for the examiner to read. Once done with answering the CBSE Paper, do revise your answer sheet and highlight the major points. It will make your answer sheet look more organized.
   
3. Post Exam:- There’s not much that you can do once you are done with a particular CBSE Paper. Unwind and quickly start preparing yourself for the next one. If it was the last CBSE paper set goals   for the future and support them with a concrete and actionable plan. It is equally important to have backup plans or alternative courses of action after your CBSE papers.

How to revise for CBSE Papers?

With the CBSE papers approaching, this time around students must be done with their studying of all the chapters and will be busy preparing for the very essential revision exercise. In order to score great marks in the final CBSE papers, revising in the right manner is of utmost importance. 

Often students face problems with the right technique on how to go about with revising. If you are one of those students, this article could be of immense help. Before starting to revise for your final CBSE papers it is very important to plan your revision exercise well in advance. Here are a few tips that all you students out there could use and incorporate in your revision activity schedule to gain the maximum out of it. 

• Your revision for the CBSE papers should be a time-bound activity. There should be a definite starting date and ending date for the ‘actual’ revision exercise. Often it happens that students who lack confidence tend to over-revise for the final CBSE papers and in the process waste precious time that could be invested in some other productive activities. To help students get over their habit of over-revising and also beat examination related stress students should stick to the allotted time period.
• While revising for the CBSE papers students should set realistic and achievable goals that help them push themselves that extra bit. Students should neither set too high targets that are in non-achievable nor set targets that are too low such that they can be achieved easily without much effort. Striking the right balance while setting goals is the key to an effective revision exercise for the CBSE papers.
• Students should also ensure the right environment while revising for the CBSE papers. The space that students choose to study in should be well-lit and free from all distractions. Study space that is free of distractions and organized is the ideal study corner that can make studying and revising for the CBSE papers effective and quick.
• During the study sessions, students should try to impose some guidelines and arrangements with respect to ‘do not disturb’. While revising for the CBSE papers students should keep themselves away from unwanted distractions, unsolicited calls and everything else that can hamper their single-minded focus of quality studying. To maintain the highest possible levels of concentration, students should also keep away from various modes of entertainment like television, cell phones, video games, novels and comic books etc. For rejuvenation a student may choose to seek respite using simple body and mind relaxation exercises.
• While revising for the CBSE papers students should try to incorporate small breaks in their study schedule so as to make learning effective. Studying for long hours without required breaks can often result in reduced retention and recall thereby making memorization weak. Therefore, while revising for the CBSE papers students should make sure that studying with small breaks can help both their mind and body stay relaxed and fresh.

Students studying for the CBSE papers can further make learning effective by revising using revision notes. Students can prepare CBSE revision notes themselves or can choose to seek help from the revision notes made available online by a variety of websites.

Now that all you students out there know how to effectively plan your revision activity for the CBSE papers, go ahead and prepare a schedule for yourself!

All the best!

CCE & CBSE class 10th

CBSE 10th class students of the current academic year are among the early beneficiaries of the Continuous & Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) system introduced by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). Unlike the students in the previous batches, the students studying in CBSE 10th class have the option of not appearing for the board exams. They can do so by opting for CCE – an assessment system that is based on round-the-year, inclusive evaluation. Under CCE, students are required to take two summative and four formative assessments that may include paper-pencil tests along with other formative assessments tools such as classroom quizzes, projects etc. However, the students who wish to appear for board exams have to send in their requisition to their respective schools stating that they want to appear for Summative Assessment-II conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education.

Grading Pattern & Assessment System under CCE

As mentioned above, students who have opted for CCE have to appear for summative & formative assessments on the basis of which students will be graded for their performance. The entire academic year of CBSE 10th class is divided into two semesters. For the current academic year, a weightage of 40% is being attached to the first semester where as the second semester carries a 60% weightage. However, from next academic year both semesters will carry equal weightage i.e. 50% each. The grading system adopted by CBSE is based on a 9 point scale. Students who score between 91-100 marks will be awarded grade A1, where as students who score between 81-90, 71-80, 61-70, 51-60, 41-50, 33-40, 21-32 & 20 and below will be awarded grades A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, D, E1 & E2 respectively. With each grade certain grade points are also awarded, for example students who score an A1 grade will be awarded 10 grade points, a student with A2 grade will get 9 grade points so on and so forth. No grade points shall be awarded for grades E1 & E2. Grade points in each subject will be accumulated and a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) will be arrived at.

Exam time-table under CCE

Through the introduction of CCE attempts have been made to engage the students throughout the year in activities that will help strengthen their learning, facilitate better understanding of concepts and will make the entire experience enriching. CBSE 10th class students will appear for Summative Assessment-I in the month of September and Summative Assessment-II in months of February-March.

With Summative Assessment-II a few months away, it is time that CBSE 10th & 9th class students brace up for these final exams. Students who are facing any difficulty in coping with subjects like Maths, Science, English etc and are looking for CCE aligned tests to help them prepare better can seek help from online educational websites. These websites provide CBSE & CCE aligned study content with videos, tests, revision notes etc for CBSE 10th & 9th that can help students understand concepts better and excel in exams.

So just surf through these websites and be sure of a stress-free study ride!

All the best for your exams!

How to revise for CBSE board examinations?

With the board exams approaching, students preparing for the CBSE board examinations are again feeling the heat. Exam related anxiety has started taking a toll over the young minds. Something that can help students re-store their wavering confidence and can also help them gear up to beat exam-related stress are repeated and robust revision sessions.

In order to make the revision activity for the CBSE board examinations a thorough and effective exercise, students should follow this simple three-step process.

Step I - Organizing the revision notes! The first step while starting to prepare the CBSE revision notes is to collect and organize the existing study material. Students should first collate all the relevant notes i.e. class lecture notes, notes from NCERT books, tutorial notes etc. The second step is to prepare notes by summarizing all the important and relevant points in one place. Students can then further refine this consolidated text to arrive at their ‘ideal’ and complete CBSE revision notes. Students can further prepare flash cards, summaries etc. from the CBSE revision notes to further make their learning effective. In case students do not have ample time to perform such an elaborate activity for preparing the CBSE revision notes, they can also refer to websites that provide CBSE curriculum aligned revision notes. These revision notes are concise and complete summaries of the chapters. The text in these CBSE revision notes are supported by well illustrated and neatly drawn diagrams that aid in better and speedy understanding of concepts.

Step II - Devise an exam strategy! Once through with preparing the CBSE revision notes the next important step is to start revising from these notes. Along with revising it is also very important for students to device an exam strategy that helps to tackle exam related issues. Their exam strategy should answer questions like how to manage time, how to approach the CBSE question paper on the final examination day, how to tackle stress before and during exams etc. This exam strategy will not only help students manage their studies better, but will also enable them to deliver a better performance. It is also very important for students to device a customized strategy for themselves instead of blindly following ready-made strategy templates often handed down by well meaning friends and relatives. Since each student is unique, their needs and priorities too will be unique. It is therefore imperative for students to have an examination strategy that is devised especially keeping their unique motivations, learning styles, and bio-rhythms in mind.

Step III - Revise using previous years CBSE board papers! Once through with revising and formulating an exam strategy, students should ideally end their revision activity for the CBSE board papers with a thorough practice session using the previous years’ test papers. This will help students assess their preparation levels and will also help gear them up to ace the CBSE board exams confidently. Practicing using the previous years’ CBSE papers or CBSE sample papers in simulated exam conditions will help students gain a first hand experience of how it feels to attempt the CBSE board paper. Students can also seek help from various websites that provide CBSE curriculum aligned practice tests and model tests that will help them take their CBSE board papers head on!

Now that all you students out there preparing for CBSE board paper know how to start revising, I am positive that a great report card is out there waiting for you!

All the very best for exams!

How to study from CBSE solved papers for a great score in exams?

Students often undermine the importance of practicing using solved CBSE papers and consider the activity of revising using the revision notes as sufficient for the final examinations. Revision sessions using the bulleted highlights of the chapter are undoubtedly beneficial for the students, but solely relying on them alone is also not advisable. Along with revising using revision notes students should also try their hands at solved CBSE papers. Revising using these solved CBSE board papers will acquaint students with the overall examination pattern. It will also equip students with a first-hand look of the final CBSE papers and will familiarize them with the correct answering technique that will help them to score great marks in exams. Keeping all these advantages of revising using solved CBSE papers in mind, it is important for students to qualitatively enhance their revision session by practicing using the solved CBSE papers.

While planning to revise from the solved CBSE papers, it is for students to keep in mind the following steps so as to make this exercise a thoroughly effective one.

• The first and foremost step for students preparing for the CBSE papers is to carefully go through their NCERT textbooks. A strong conceptual understanding of all the important topics in the subject is very important to score top marks in exams. While learning the important points in the chapter, students should lay emphasis on understanding the concepts over cramming the said text. Students should plan to practice from these CBSE solved papers only when they are through with their studies and are 100% confident about their preparation.
• While organizing the CBSE solved papers, students should also simultaneously look out for the official marking scheme. Students should try to arrange for as many solved CBSE papers possible, so as to ensure enough practice for the final exams. Students should also ensure that they do not give in to the temptation to read the solutions before attempting the paper.
• Before starting to practice from the CBSE solved papers, students should choose a study corner in their room that is well-lit and a noise-free zone. Students can also ask their friends and family not to disturb them while they are practicing from the solved CBSE  papers. Students should take this practice session as a mock CBSE exam and accordingly keep a track of the time.
• Students should make sure that once they start writing their mock CBSE paper, they should just focus on writing quality answers and completing the paper within the stipulated time period. Students should also resist from looking into the available solutions.
• Once students are through with practicing from CBSE solved papers, students can then check their answers against the available solutions. Students can also calculate their score with the help of the official marking scheme so as to assess their preparation levels. An exercise like this will also help students take timely corrective action and ensure that they obtain a good score in the final CBSE papers.

While on the look-out for the CBSE solved papers for class X and class XII, students can seek help from a variety of websites that not only provide CBSE solved papers but also equip students with printable revision notes, practice tests, model tests and a lot more. Revision kits such as these will aid all you students out there with effective revision before the final examination.

Now that all you students out there know how to use CBSE solved papers, scoring good marks will not be that difficult.

CBSE Question Paper

Students getting anxious about the possible questions that could appear in the final CBSE question paper is quite normal. While studying for the final CBSE examinations, students usually keep in mind the format of the questions that have a higher weightage and the probability of being asked in the exams. Therefore, in order to score exceptionally good marks in all the subjects the students are advised to customize their answers according to the subject and question they are tackling.

To help all you students out there who are to appear in their CBSE exams in the near future, here are a few tips on how customize your answer for each subject.

• Maths:- One simple mantra to score cent percent marks in Maths is to the keep the calculations uncluttered and accurate so as to arrive at the correct answer. While attempting the CBSE question paper for Maths, student should first demarcate space on all the pages in the answer sheet for rough work. This will enable students to keep a track of the calculations they have performed to arrive at the solution. Whenever in doubt, students can re-check their calculations from any stage and be confident of their answer. Also, while a attempting the CBSE question paper for Maths, student should write down all the in-between steps in the answer. This will help students fetch some marks for the steps even if the final answer is incorrect.
• English & Hindi:- For language subjects the key is to build a very good command over the basics of the language and develop a sound vocabulary in order to achieve your dream score. Unlike other subjects like Maths, Accountancy etc, scoring high marks in language subjects is relatively difficult. Therefore, students should not be over ambitious and just focus on attempting their CBSE question paper well. While attempting the reading section in the CBSE question paper for the language subjects, students should first read the unseen passage carefully. Once through with a thorough read, students should then start answering the questions asked from the passage. Whereas, while attempting questions from the text-book section in the CBSE question paper, students should try to answer in ‘to-the-point’ format and stick to the prescribed word limit.
• Science:- Students should not commit the mistake of cramming concepts for a subject like Science in order to score great marks in the final exams. The key to excelling in CBSE question paper for Science is to understand and memorize concepts and processes well. Students should try to supplement their answers with neatly drawn and clearly labeled diagrams. This will help students explain the concepts thoroughly and enable them to score those extra marks in CBSE question papers.
• Social Science:- While attempting the CBSE question paper for Social Science, students should not write mindlessly lengthy answers in order to meet the desired word limit. Rather, students should concentrate on writing precise and complete answers. There is a common notion that writing lengthy answers in Social Sciences can help students score good marks. However, this statement does not hold true.

Therefore while attempting CBSE question paper for any of these subjects, students should keep the following points in mind and customize their answers accordingly.

Benefits of revising using CBSE solved papers

Previous years’ CBSE solved papers are usually the first resort for students planning to revise for their final CBSE examinations. They not only help students assess their preparation levels for the final CBSE exams, but also help gain the much required confidence to beat exam-related stress. However, many students still may not have discovered the real benefits of revising using CBSE solved papers.

To help all you students out there score great marks in your final CBSE examinations, here are a few points enumerating the benefits of practicing using solved CBSE papers. After going through these benefits, I am confident that practicing using CBSE solved papers will become an important element of your revision activity and you will try to avoid missing out on these practice sessions.

• Familiarization with the overall examination pattern is the first benefit that a student planning to practice from the CBSE solved papers is sure to obtain. It often happens that despite of a lot of hard work, students are not able to perform well in their final CBSE examinations. Apart from poor quality of preparation, one of the significant reasons for the same is that students are usually ill-equipped to handle examinations with respect to the type of questions asked, answering technique, customization of answers as per the requirements of the questions etc. To efficiently combat issues like these, it is very important for students to practice using CBSE solved papers.
• Revising using solved CBSE papers will also help students hone their ability to accurately evaluate a lot of situations and accordingly take corrective steps to score great marks in the final CBSE examinations. While revising using solved CBSE papers, students are equipped to assess their preparation levels for their final examinations and take timely remedial actions to fortify their understating in weak areas. If these solved CBSE papers are practiced in simulated exam conditions, students can also evaluate their skills related to time management and also that of handling exam-related stress. To score great marks in the final CBSE examinations, it is very important for students to complete their exam to the best of their abilities within the stipulated time. Students can sharpen their skills related to time management through rigorous practice using solved CBSE papers and other CBSE-aligned model papers.
• Practicing using solved CBSE papers also helps students gain the much required confidence to beat examination stress. High anxiety levels, wavering confidence, under preparedness etc. usually leave students revising for their CBSE examinations extremely concerned about their final performance in the exams. As a result, there are chances that their performance may witness a dip. To help students combat this situation with full vigor, students should practice as hard they can using solved CBSE papers/ solved sample papers/ solved model papers.

It is very important for students to understand that the key to scoring great marks in exams lies not just in possessing knowledge, but also in being able to use or apply that knowledge in the best possible manner to answer the questions. Students can seek help from a lot of websites that provide solved CBSE papers for subject like Maths, Science, English, Hindi & Sanskrit etc. Along with the latest solved CBSE papers, these websites also offer to the students a variety of tests for a thorough assessment of preparation levels. So what are you waiting for, take a go at it right away!

Perform better with CBSE Sample Papers

CBSE sample papers have always been popular with school students. Extensive revision sessions using CBSE sample papers are often considered as a sure-shot mantra for success in school exams. However, there are many who do not value such mock exam papers. These CBSE sample papers are not only a prototype of the final CBSE papers but are also a tool to assess preparation levels of students for their final exams. Apart from evaluating students’ preparedness for exams, these model papers also act as a tool to help students build confidence for performing well in exams.
 

A majority of students are stressed out before final examinations either because they lack confidence or they are underprepared for exams. Students can practice using these CBSE sample papers to identify their weak links and be fully confident of their preparation for exams. While practicing from CBSE sample papers, students should also evaluate their skills related to managing time so as to be fully sure of a good performance in the exams.

How to make the most of CBSE Sample Papers?
 

Students planning to study from CBSE sample papers are suggested to only start practicing from such mock papers after they are through with their final preparation for exam. This will not only help to evaluate their learning for topics but will also help them identify their weak areas. This will therefore enable them to take timely remediation actions for weak area(s) improvement. However, there are many who study exactly in the reverse order. They start studying by first having a look at the questions in the CBSE sample papers and thereby modifying their learning according to the questions asked in the CBSE sample papers. This approach to studying may help students reap instant benefits, but in long run such style of studying may be highly detrimental for them as it is not a comprehensive approach and will not help them to build a strong foundation of concepts. Such an approach towards studying may be based on rote learning and in some cases cramming and not conceptual understanding. Therefore, students are advised to first go through the chapter(s) and then start referring to such CBSE sample papers.

Online CBSE sample papers & model papers for an excellent score

There are a variety of websites that provide chapter-wise practice papers and full-course model papers/ CBSE sample papers. These chapter-wise and full course tests are completely aligned as per the CBSE curriculum to help students assess their preparation levels thoroughly and accurately. These CBSE sample papers are available in multiple choice question format and descriptive question answer (Q & A) format to add variety into testing. Students can further make their revision sessions thorough by referring to the revision notes available on these websites. These readymade revision notes will help students save some precious time in preparing quality and crisp revision notes.

Students can make use of the notes in the articles to optimize the benefits while revising from the CBSE sample papers.

ICSE/ ISC Exam Schedule 2011 is out!

The dates have been announced…and the stage is all set! The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations has announced the date sheet for class X and class XII board exams. The date sheet for ICSE & ISC is as follows-

Class X - ICSE exam date sheet 2011

Date	Day	Subject
28th February	Monday	English Language- English Paper 1
1st March	Tuesday	Literature in English- English Paper 2
4th March	Friday	Environmental Education
7th March	Monday	Mathematics
9th March	Wednesday	Second Language/Modern Foreign Language
11th March	Friday	History & Civics- H.C.G.- Paper 1
14th March	Monday	Geography- H.C.G.- Paper 2
16th March	Wednesday	Physics- Science Paper 1
17th March	Thursday	Economics (Group II Elective)
18th March	Friday	Chemistry- Science Paper 2
22nd March	Tuesday	Biology- Science Paper 3

Class XII ISC exam date sheet 2011

Date	Day	Subject
28th February	Monday	English Paper 1
1st March	Tuesday	English Paper 2
4th March	Friday	Environmental Education Paper 1
7th March	Monday	Sociology
8th March	Tuesday	Physics Paper 1/ Business Studies
10th March	Thursday	Commerce
11th March	Friday	Political Science/Biology Paper 1
12th March	Saturday	Literature in English
14th March	Monday	Mathematics/ Business Mathematics
16th March	Wednesday	Geography Paper 1/ Electricity & Electronics
18th March	Friday	Accounts
22nd March	Tuesday	Chemistry Paper 1/ History
23rd March	Wednesday	Geom. & Mechanical Drawing
25th March	Friday	Computer Science Paper 1/ Biotechnology Paper 1
26th March	Saturday	Psychology
28th March	Monday	Economics
31st March	Thursday	Environmental Science

You can view the complete date sheet at www.cisce.org

Now that the date sheet is out, it’s time that all you ICSE students gear up for your exams.

We wish you all the very best!

Cheers!

Team Meritnation

CBSE X & XII date-sheet is out!

The wait is finally over! Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released the official date-sheet for CBSE 2011 class X & class XII board exams. The date-sheet is as follows-

Class X - CBSE exam date-sheet 2011

Date	Day	Subject
5th March	Saturday	Mathematics
7th March	Monday	Comm. Sanskrit
10th March	Thursday	Social Science
14th March	Monday	Hindi Course-A / Hindi Course-B
18th March	Friday	Eng Comm. / Eng Lang & Lit
23rd March	Wednesday	Science-Theory / Science w/o Prac

Class XII - CBSE exam date-sheet 2011

Date	Day	Subject
1st March	Tuesday	Physics
3rd March	Thursday	Business Studies
5th March	Saturday	History
7th March	Monday	Chemistry
9th March	Wednesday	Biotechnology / Accountancy
11th March	Friday	English Elective / English Core
14th March	Monday	Biology
16th March	Wednesday	Economics
18th March	Friday	Hindi Elective/Hindi core
22nd March	Tuesday	Mathematics
25th March	Friday	Political Science
30th March	Wednesday	Computer Science
1st April	Friday	Engg. Graphics
5th April	Tuesday	Geography
7th April	Thursday	Psychology
13th April	Wednesday	Sociology

Log on to www.cbse.nic.in to view the complete date sheet.

With only a few weeks left for the board exams, it’s time that all you class X & class XII students  start winding up your studies and get cracking with Meritnation’s Sample Tests and Revision Notes.  Meritnation.com wishes all you students the very best for your upcoming exams!

Good Luck!

Team Meritnation

Assure good marks in CBSE exams with NCERT solutions

The key to performing well in CBSE exams include studying hard, grasping important & relevant points mentioned in the chapter and retaining these. The candidates appearing for the exams should study in a smart and streamlined manner, so that they are able to translate their efforts into performance.

Most of the questions in CBSE exams are based on end-of-chapter questions from NCERT textbook with slight changes in language or numerical values.  Majority of the students believe that solving NCERT questions is uninteresting and time consuming. But, this is definitely the simplest way to outshine in CBSE examinations. 

How to prepare ideal NCERT Solutions?

Before framing the answers to the questions listed in NCERT textbook, the students should read the chapter attentively and thoroughly. They can underline or note down the important points covered under each topic.  A comprehensive study of the entire chapter would not only help in getting good marks but enhance the conceptual understanding of the students.

Before writing ideal answers, the students should carefully read, analyze and understand the subject of the questions. They should know the difference between ‘Explain’, ‘Illustrate’ and ‘Brief description’ and should answer the question accordingly.  The students should tailor their answers depending on the type of questions i.e. one word, multiple choice, short answers or long answers. Keeping in mind the type of question and marks allotted for each, they should set word limits for every type that would help them in customization of their answers. 

In addition to the above factors, the answers should be simple in language and crisp with no grammatical and spelling errors. 

Proper revision to reassure high scores in CBSE exams

The NCERT solutions should be arranged in an organized manner with the chapter number and page numbers to avoid confusion. Organized solutions would require less time to go through during revision. Further, it would also promote in understanding, grasping, memorizing and retaining the notes effectively. 

Less time? Go for NCERT Online Solutions

When CBSE exams are round the corner, students don’t want to devote much time in forming NCERT solutions. In that case, they can simply find the solutions to their question in various websites offering online NCERT solutions. These solutions are properly illustrated with graphics, videos and animations & apt for preparation in CBSE exams. 

A few points to remember before referring to online NCERT solutions

Before referring to online NCERT solutions, students must cross-check the answers for any kind of inaccuracies. They should ensure that each answer is written as per the demand of the question. While referring to online NCERT solutions, students should also make certain that these solutions are accurate with respect to language and grammar.

By following the above mentioned tips while framing, studying and revising NCERT solutions would definitely assist the students in getting excellent marks in CBSE examinations.

CBSE Notes

Preparing the right kind of CBSE notes is one of the most essential ingredients for scoring good marks in the final examinations. In order to gain the maximum out of this revision activity, it is very important for students to adopt the right technique for preparing the CBSE notes.

While preparing the CBSE notes students should keep in mind a few essential points to increase the overall relevance of their notes. 

• While preparing the CBSE notes students should take into account three vital points i.e. identify that which is important in the chapter, assess the current knowledge levels and try to fill the existing conceptual gaps. Rather than being a word-to-word reproduction of the major points from the chapter, the CBSE notes should be a customized document that briefly covers all the essential highlights and also helps in optimizing the understanding of the topic.
• Efforts should be made to prepare the CBSE notes in such a manner that they are a complete resource in itself. Apart from being comprehensive, enough care should also be taken to keep the CBSE notes brief. 
• The CBSE notes should be prepared in accordance to the preferred learning style. Learning styles can be defined as the preferred mode of learning for an individual that accelerates the pace of understanding. For example for a visual learner, components like illustrations, mind maps etc. will make understanding easy and fast. Therefore, a student should prepare the CBSE notes as per the learning style that suits them the best. CBSE notes prepared as per the learning style can increase the efficacy of these revision notes manifold.

While preparing and revising from the CBSE notes students often commit some common mistakes. In order to optimize the benefits from CBSE notes, students should aim to avoid such mistakes. Here are some pointers that you may keep in mind to avoid making silly mistakes:

• Last minute exercise! While planning the study schedule, students typically only focus on completing the syllabus within the available time and do not allocate time for the essential revision exercise. With less or no time in hand for revision, preparing the vital CBSE notes takes a back seat for students. Keeping in mind the benefits of preparing CBSE notes, students should prepare and plan their study schedule in such a manner that they do not miss out on preparing the indispensable CBSE notes. If students are experiencing a time crunch, instead of completely skipping this exercise of preparing revision notes, students should instead seek help from readymade revision notes available on various websites.
• Keep a check on your watch! Either students do not prepare these CBSE notes for revision and on occasions when they do, they tend to spend an excessive amount of time on preparing such notes, leaving them with little or no time for memorizing key points. Therefore, it is advised that students manage their time effectively while revising from the revision notes.
• Avoid over-revising! While preparing for the final examinations students usually get stressed out and start panicking as the examination date draws near and the preparation seems far from complete.  In order to compensate such extreme emotions, some students tend to over-revise from their CBSE notes. Extreme exam anxiety such as  this may also create a state of mental block and result in reduced recall leaving the student even more stressed. During such a situation, it is important for students to relax and stop studying for some time. They should resume their revision from the CBSE Notes only after they feel relaxed and refreshed.

I am positive that if all you students out there keep all these essential points in your mind while preparing and revising from the CBSE notes, learning will become fun and scoring good marks will be easy.

CBSE Model Papers

Models papers generally act as testing grounds for students who are to experience examinations in the near future. Most students experience varying amounts of anxiety during examinations. There could be multiple reasons for the same. Inadequate preparation, dearth of revision and a fear of the unknown related to the kind of questions that may appear in the exams- are all factors that add to exam fear. The easiest way to combat this fear of the unknown is to seek refuge in Model Papers. If you are a student of CBSE, (or of any other Board for that matter) CBSE Model Papers could be of immense help. Plenty of CBSE Model Papers are available both on the internet and in the offline libraries. 

Testing your knowledge through CBSE Model papers is the most constructive way to counter examination-related stress. While preparing for exams, students usually wonder whether they would be able to answer the questions in spite of all the hard work. Attempting Model Papers a few days before the examinations helps students evaluate their knowledge of concepts and in the process boost their confidence. It also helps them analyze their strengths and weaknesses. When integrated into their revision exercise, CBSE Model Papers can give students a much needed opportunity to work upon those weak links and solidify their concepts.

Occasionally students may miss out on answering a few questions as most students usually do not keep a track of the time, and seldom stick to the time limit (easily calculated from the marks allotted for each question in the CBSE exam papers) for answering those questions. Problems like these can be easily taken care of by attempting ample number of CBSE Model Papers during revision time.  Certain time-based Model Papers are also available that help students identify and learn how to allocate time for each question and answer them accordingly. Thus, attempting CBSE Model Papers is an ideal revision activity. However, it is advisable that a student attempts any CBSE Model Paper only after he/she is done with revision. At this stage, going through questions in various CBSE Model Papers can also help them further re-organize and structure the learnt material, thereby consequently helping them reinforce learning.

With the level of competition soaring, students are pushing their limits to improve their results. Evaluating their performance in previously attempted CBSE Model Papers against their current performance can also help students identify their weak areas and motivate them to work harder.

Learning is simpler with online study

Online study has become the preferred mode of education for students in India and overseas. Now students need not be physically present in the classroom to learn the difficult concepts in Maths and Physics. With the penetration of the internet and advent of online study, students can now relax in their cozy rooms and learn all the tricky concepts of Maths and Physics at their convenience.

Online study offers subject specific study content for various boards including, CBSE, ICSE, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. Few of the benefits of online studies are listed below:

Studies anytime anywhere:

Unlike classroom-based learning, online study doesn’t put restriction on the learners of having to attend classes at a particular time and place. Regular studies involve travelling to the campus everyday at a fixed time requiring a heavy investment of time and energy both on the part of learners and teachers. While in online study, students just need a computer and an internet connection and they can browse through the courses comfortably whenever and wherever they feel like. In online study, interesting study support is available round-the-clock that is supported with visual and graphical presentations for a clearer and better understanding of concepts.

Teaching is student-centric:

Online study follows a student-centric teaching approach. Here the students have the authority to decide not only the time of learning but they are also free to choose the pace of learning. Fast learners can quickly move on to other chapters when they complete a chapter and those who need more time learners can take their own time to understand the concepts and revise it over and over again. Learners can freely submit queries and questions in discussion forums that are answered by knowledgeable tutors and experts.

No more mundane books:

For the students of CBSE, ICSE, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra Boards, studying from black and white text books is no more a compulsion. Students can access free solutions to NCERT questions, sample papers, model papers, innovative personality assessment tests and interesting multimedia enriched puzzles etc. through online study. In online study, students need not wait to clear their doubts. They can easily and effortlessly interact with their teachers and instructors through e-mail, online chats, newsroom discussions and video-conferencing facilities.

Affordable and cost-effective education:

Unlike regular education, online study is reasonably low cost, hassle free and a reliable mode of learning. Owing to these reasons, a majority of students are inclined towards it. Online study doesn’t involve a heavy monthly or yearly fee but only a nominal subscription cost. Students enrolled in online education can thus save a lot of money that is spent on commuting, staying away from home, tuitions etc.

User-friendy, accessibility, flexibility and quality education are a few of the features contributing to the charisma of online study.

Score great marks in SSC (Maharashtra SSC Board)

About Maharashtra State Board
 

Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education is functional for more than 4 decades. It was established under Maharashtra Secondary Boards Act in the year 1965. The main motto of the board is to improve the standard of education in Maharashtra. The board mainly conducts two major exams i.e. Secondary School Certificate exam (SSC) and the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exam. Maharashtra State Board provides quality education to the students through continuous innovations in the syllabus, study structure and curriculum.

Starting point of exam fear
 

Due to increased competition levels among the students and high expectations from school, parents and teachers, the students of Maharashtra SSC Board go through extreme pressure and anxiety. Rapid pulse, perspiring palms, trembling legs, loss of appetite and sometimes a near nervous breakdown are a few of the symptoms of exam fever. Extreme stress and anxiety during Maharashtra SSC papers can make the students feel under-prepared which may further lead to a poor performance in SSC exams.
 

Students can easily overcome this pressure and can score great marks in SSC exams if they follow some easy guidelines discussed below:
 

Systematized notes and study materials
 

Before preparing for SSC exams, students should collect study material from trustworthy sources. The notes should be as per the standards of Maharashtra State Board and these should be relevant and factually correct. After collating all relevant notes and study material, students should filter out the important points and list these down in their own hand writing.  This would not only improve their writing speed but would also help in speedy memorization.

Study with maximum attentiveness
 

While preparing for SSC papers, students should maintain a regular study routine with full concentration. They should be mentally sound, focused and alert during study hour to avoid wastage of time and energy. Full concentration would not only help the students to understand the concepts but would also help to memorize and retain the notes.

Revise systematically with previous years SSC test papers and sample papers

The most vital step to prepare for SSC exams is to revise thoroughly the entire syllabus. Students can refer to previous years’ SSC test papers, model papers and sample papers. This would help them to understand the types of questions asked in exams and would also give them a clear idea about the marking scheme.

Solving sample papers and test papers would help them to judge their preparation levels and identify their weaker links. Through these study materials they can understand their problem areas and can work on them to fill the gaps in learning. Various sites offer solved and unsolved sample papers. Students can refer to such online study material for better and effective revision. 

Some other facts that needs students’ attention!
 

Students are suggested to sit straight on their chair or sofa when they study. This would help the students grasping concepts faster and more effectively. This habit would also enhance the memory as the Spinal Cord has a direct link with the brain nerves. So, when the Spinal Cord is straight, brain grasps things sooner and helps to memorize things for a longer duration. 

On the contrary, if the students lie down while studying, the brain takes more time to get the things into memory. This posture of studying also hinders the effective functioning of the brain and student has to spend considerable time reading the same thing over and over again before it actual registers.
 

If the students are hard working and dedicated towards their studies, the above mentioned tips would surely be a great help for them in achieving good marks in SSC exams.

How and when to study from CBSE model papers!

If you want to be sure of a great score in exams, do not forget to practice from CBSE model papers. Many often consider CBSE model papers a sure-shot way to excel in examinations. CBSE model papers are usually a loose prototype of the final CBSE question paper that gives students a first-hand look of their final examination paper. Regular practice from CBSE model papers not only helps students to identify their weak areas in various subjects and but also instills in them the much required confidence to combat exam-related stress. Keeping in mind the benefits of practicing from CBSE model papers, students should make it a point to include such practice sessions using model papers in their revision schedules. However, it is also very important for students to know how and when to seek help from these model papers.

• To start with, students should only start practicing from the CBSE model papers after they are through with understanding and memorizing all the important points in a particular subject. A preparation like this before attempting CBSE model paper will help students truly assess their preparation levels for exams. It will also place them in a better position to take remedial action if required, to help score great marks in the final exams.
• At this stage students can also choose to take adaptive assessment tests that are geared to test their knowledge in a particular chapter along with related concepts. These adaptive assessment tests help students an instant identification of their weak concepts that may be stumbling blocks in the way of a thorough and effective understanding of a particular concept. There are a few websites that provide such formative assessments in Maths and Science for students studying under CBSE board.
• Once through with a particular chapter, students can tests their understanding by taking chapter-wise practice tests or CBSE model papers. There are a variety of websites that provide CBSE aligned chapter-wise MCQ and descriptive tests. These chapter-wise practice tests not only add variety to a student’s learning schedule but also ensure a thorough assessment of students at different levels. A rigorous practice using such tests will solidify students’ understanding of the topics in the subject.
• After taking the chapter-wise tests, now comes the time to revise using full length CBSE model papers or previous years’ question papers. A full-length test in simulated exam atmosphere enables students to gauge their preparation levels with respect to the answering style, time management strategies etc. The more a student practices, the better are his/her chances to perform well in exams. These e-learning websites not only provide CBSE model papers but also provide solved CBSE board papers to help students familiarize themselves with the correct answering style and the official marking scheme.

Students who wish to score well in their final CBSE examinations should support such practice sessions with robust revision sessions using a host of other revision aids available to the students. Once through with all the revision, students must re-visit their CBSE model papers before the final CBSE examinations.

All the best!

CBSE- Working towards Stress-free Learning

It is the conviction of CBSE India to make education stress-free for students that has prompted it to take various initiatives to bring about meaningful changes in the current education scenario. This has paved the way for a host of fresh and innovative changes in the age-old education system in India. From introduction of Comprehensive and Continuous Evaluation (CCE), completely doing away with class X board exams, to the introduction of a whole new curriculum i.e. CBSE-International curriculum for CBSE schools outside India, CBSE India has done it all. 

To refresh your memory about the series of changes proposed and implemented by CBSE, India here is a list elaborating the same:

• CCE is the ‘in’ thing! To enable student to grow holistically and also to help schools to accurately rate their students in curricular and co-curricular areas, CBSE India has introduced the system of Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation. The testing system under CCE encompasses two summative and four formative assessments. Formative assessments assess students understanding during learning through symposiums, classroom quizzes, surprise tests, projects etc. Summative assessments, on the other hand aim to test the conceptual understanding of students through full- length conventional tests. To encourage students to pursue knowledge for its own sake rather than for marks, the system of CCE has also replaced marks with grades.
• Doing away with class X board exams! The one announcement that left everybody happily surprised was the news of optional class X board exams. CBSE India in its initiative to make schooling a stress-free affair decided to completely do away with class X board exams. However, students who still wish to take class X board exams can opt for ‘exams on demand’. Such a flexible system of examinations has removed undue pressure from these young minds.
• Common syllabus for Maths & Science! To give a level playing field to students studying under various boards in India during their engineering & medical entrance exams, CBSE India has proposed the idea of a common syllabus for Maths & Science for class XI & XII across all Boards in India. This change was initiated keeping in mind the needs of students studying different syllabi under the various educational boards in India. To bring students at par, this initiative by CBSE India was lauded by various boards in the country and also got the approval of COBSE. This common syllabus will come into play from the academic session starting 2011.
• Different curriculum for CBSE international schools! To cater to the needs of students studying under CBSE board in countries outside India and provide them with the right course material, CBSE India recently launched an international curriculum. This international curriculum will equip students with learning material that helps them stay abreast with their counterparts in western countries.
• Joint Medical and Engineering entrance exams! CBSE India has recently mooted an idea for single entrance exam for medical and engineering streams. Under this joint entrance exam, Physics and Chemistry paper will be common for both the streams. Students who wish to appear for the engineering entrance exam will have to additionally appear for Maths exam whereas medical students will have to take the Biology exam. However, this idea is just in the proposal stage and the modalities still need to be worked out.

Such changes by CBSE India has certainly made the academic culture more student friendly and has considerably made learning truly an enriching experience.