CBSE Term 2 exams begin tomorrow: UAE school heads share revision tips to score well

With the CBSE Term 2 board exams set to commence on Tuesday, April 26, UAE school heads are sharing tips to help students perform well in the upcoming exams.

The reading time, in particular, should be optimally utilised before Grade 10 and 12 students start attempting the questions for the Indian Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exams, say experts. Students are also advised not to over-emphasise or answer short questions in a lengthy format.

Sanjeev K Jolly, executive principal, Our Own High School - Al Warqa'a, and chairman of Gulf Sahodaya (CBSE schools in the Gulf), said: "Students must make sure they study in an organised manner at home and devote sufficient time to their preparations. The written board exams exams require speed, accuracy, and consistency, so students should ensure they have the related skills."

Such skills can be developed at home by writing notes instead of revising orally, he noted. A good at-home revision plan should include some breaks for relaxing in between long hours of preparation. Students should also ensure they get at least seven hours of sleep and develop good eating habits to promote their mental and physical well-being.

"The main points discussed by teachers in class must be re-revised, with three to four years of past papers reviewed," said Jolly. "Additionally, sample papers sent by CBSE must be practised by students for better preparations."

Jolly stressed that students shouldn't ignore doubts if they pop up during revision. "They should take time to address them and find answers, whether from the Internet, friends or teachers," he said.

After completing revisions, students must take the time to relax, meditate or pray, as these are mind motivators, said Jolly. Moreover, students must avoid last-minute cramming or pulling all-nighters.

Girish Hemnani, a life coach and energy healer based in Dubai, said: "The key to performing well is not landing in a state of hurriedness and panic. To be able to maintain calmness during the pressure to perform and deliver is a skill that indeed gets better with the right training of mind and by learning to regulate emotions."

The first step to success is catching unhelpful thoughts, Hemnani said. "Acknowledgement has great power, as then you don't operate from denial or resistance. The second step is to take the power to decide if the thought needs immediate attention or can be handled later. This gives you the power to focus and direct your attention to what is your priority and not lose time on irrelevant thoughts or pictures.”

Lastly, Hemnani says regulating one's emotions is essential. "You can easily do this by regulating your breathing," he said. "Doing continuously deep abdominal breathing with the equal time taken to inhale and exhale creates calmness and clarity in your mind and body. This creates the space for your mind to access all the information stored there and flow out in the answer sheets."

In addition to sleeping well, experts say students must take care of their health by eating more fruits and vegetables.

"They need to eat healthily and not rely on caffeine to keep them going," said Deepika Thapar Singh, CEO and principal, Credence High School. "A good idea is to read over summaries, such as mind-maps or one-page bullet point summaries of each topic. Doing so can be a good way to review the topic, and check to understand. Solving past exam questions can also be a very good way to both check understanding and reassure yourself."

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Students should also take steps to eliminate distractions while studying. That means no technology, be it a phone or laptop.

"Focus on written notes and use pen and paper to scribble reminders if necessary," Singh said. "Lastly, think positively and believe that everything will be fine. It is, after all, only an exam. A positive attitude is likely to help more than anything else in today’s world.”

Quick guide for effective revision

> Start early; no last-minute cramming

> Don't pull all-nighters the day before the exam

> Plan effectively

> Be consistent

> Eat healthy and shower daily

> Rest properly

> Regulate emotions with deep breathing technique

> Use reading time well

> Avoid answering short questions in a lengthy format

• Dubai