CBSE 10th Board Exam 2021 : Top 7 Tips to Finish Maths Paper On Time

Students often face problems in completing the Maths paper on time due to the long and tricky calculations performed while solving the Maths questions. Students generally panic while solving questions in exams due to which they are unable to finish the paper on time. Just because they run out of time, they have to leave a few questions unwillingly, and quite often it has been observed that the questions they leave are those which they could do very easily. Such a situation becomes very disappointing.

In this article, we have summed up some important tips on how to attempt the Maths paper correctly and finish it before time nonetheless the overwhelming pressure of the board exam.

1. Know the examination pattern and question paper design
In order to write the Maths exam smoothly, the most important thing is to understand the examination pattern/ question paper design which will make you familiarised with the structure of the question paper you will get in the board exam. Moreover, you will also get to know the formats in which questions will be asked and their mark breakup. If you will be having an idea about the pattern of questions then you won’t find it difficult to understand the structure of the paper on the final day which will definitely save some of your crucial time.

2. Prepare a strategy for the exam before you take it

After understanding the examination pattern, the next job is to deeply analyze the exam pattern and prepare a strategy for the final exam. Check the number of questions, their types, and mark breakup to be followed in the CBSE board question paper.

The following table states the questions structure for CBSE Board Mathematics Exam 2020:

Thus, you will have to solve a total of 36 questions in 3 hours, i.e., in 180 minutes. So, you should make a proper time division so that you are able to attempt all questions well on time.

A moderate time division can be done as below:

Following the above time division plan, you will still have about 20 minutes left with you which can be utilized in reviewing the whole paper, checking the complex calculations, and attempting the left questions. Remember one thing, there is no negative marking in board exams, so you must try to attempt all questions. 

3. Use the first 15 minutes effectively

The best thing that CBSE offers its students is the 15 minutes reading time before they start writing their exam. These, 15 minutes can be of great help to prepare a strategy for writing the exam appropriately. You must read all 40 questions properly and mark them into three categories- easy, manageable, and tough. This is done to have an overall idea about the questions and make a rough plan to attempt all of them smoothly and correctly.

4. Don't worry about the tough/complex problems

While going through the paper, when you find some questions that seem to be tough or complex to you, you need not worry about it as this anxiety will only harm your performance. So, you just start with easier problems. As you will move further solving each question and obtaining correct answers, you will gain confidence for the complex problems as well. This way, when you will actually work on them, you will find most of them to be much easier than they seemed earlier to you.

5. Understand the worth of each question

Now when you are going to attempt the paper, you must have an idea that how much each question is worth and estimate the time you should spend working on each one, so that you don’t waste much time on a question that won’t fetch you enough marks otherwise you will lose some important marks for other questions which might be left unsolved due to the time lack.

6. Maintain speed and accuracy hand in hand

Maintain accuracy while you are solving quickly. Make sure you don't get confused between two different topics. Try to implement quicker methods in calculations to save your precious time. Be careful with the signs and terms used in a problem otherwise, it will take a lot of time to solve a problem leading to an incorrect answer. Be even more careful while copying a question from the question paper.

7. Keep a close watch on the time

Keeping an eye on your watch will help you keep a track of the time and know how many questions are still left. Moreover, it will help you check that you are strictly adhering to the time allocation scheme you had decided on in the beginning. However, a minor variation in the time allotted to each section or question is not at all a reason to worry. 

Along with preparing hard for an exam, it’s very important to make a strategy to write that exam in the proper way and within time so that your hard work gets reflected in your answer sheet. So, study hard and prepare smart, you will definitely succeed.

All the Very Best!