With the class 12 board results now declared and students getting ready for college admissions, our team caught up with some students to hear from them first hand on their experience and thought process before the examinations. One of the common subjects that people were concerned about in the science stream was Chemistry. Let us understand what the students go through at this time.
A couple of months before the D-day are when the students get very serious about their examination. Now is the time that they hoped would reflect the effort that they are putting in. They were all aware that it is not only important to prepare well, but also perfect the art of presenting the information in the best possible manner that matters and has the potential to change the outcome.
While they realized that the only way to do well in the exams was to study through the year and not wait till the last few months, but then Class 12 had been really a rush. In the final days when the school closed for them, people were quite emotional in bidding each other goodbye and wish them luck. Time management, good health and stress control were important factors that almost every student was aware of.
The pre- Board exams organized by the school were an eye-opener. It is also a norm to purchase or download sample papers from websites and solve them. Usually, students would look at solving 10-year question papers and try and finish it within three hours without taking breaks or switching on the music. Teachers are also extremely helpful at this time and with technology adoption, they are available on Whatsapp, SMS, email and of course, the ubiquitous phone.
During the preparatory leave, the students tried to utilize their time optimally and revise the syllabus thoroughly. They also practiced their syllabus multiple times to ensure comprehension of concepts and memorization of formulae. Most of the students also read the subjects from the online resource centres that they managed to lay their hands on. CBSE study material for class 12 chemistry was a very popular choice for Chemistry. Children who found Chemistry a challenge considered this as an easier way to cover all the topics.
The preparation strategy that most of the people used was basically a mixed bag of revision of the syllabus and answering the sample papers. This way they were able to revise the syllabus as well as finish the sample papers simultaneously. Some of the schools also gave question banks to their students at the beginning of the session so that they could practice and prepare through the year.
We realize that reading the right textbooks is important in an age when school students are bombarded with all kinds of reference books from different publishing houses.
The general consensus is that NCERT textbooks, though much thinner than reference books, remain the best for information-bombarded students. If students read NCERT textbooks thoroughly, they can score good grades without any trouble. Textbook numerical are also most likely the ones set in the question paper.
The students were also aware that with all the reading and writing that needed to be done, they had to make sure that their health allowed them to sit through an exam for three hours. Eating healthy, taking small breaks while studying and staying stress-free so that they could perform well in the exams are deterministic of the future course of their respective careers.
Parents of the children were also known to be very supportive and did not put unnecessary pressure on their children to do well in exams. Schools had counselled the media too to desist from building up hype over the exams. The schools did not want the already burdened students to start believing that they are under some sort of surveillance that can affect them adversely when media starts creating a hype over something.
Realizing that taking an exam is as much a physical activity as it is a mental exercise, the students we were speaking to had been mindful of their health and the body clock. The mental and emotional strain of studies and prolonged nights of work has a likelihood of taking a toll on the body. While preparing for exams, students tend to pay less attention to their health and body clock, but they understood that to do well in the final examination, one must be physically fit. During the preparatory leave, most students study late into the night and end up sleeping in the morning. Teachers and parents also reminded the students that this practice may have its own consequences since examinations were scheduled for early morning hours. The students understood that when your body gets used to studying at night and sleeping in the morning, it was better to correct the schedule before any far-reaching consequences occurred. Writing a paper for three hours needs a high level of concentration and stamina and that is only possible if one is healthy and fit. Eating healthy food and maintaining a proper diet was high on their agenda.
Last but not the least, having studied throughout the year, the writing style of each person was another area that they were careful about. They renewed their focus on presenting what they had studied and prepared for in the best possible way. Their teacher had earlier told them that one should write answers in a way as if one is talking to the examiner who is going to correct and mark the paper.
They were clear that just knowing the subject thoroughly was not enough, equally important as one’s ability to communicate what one knows. Writing skills were to be used to the best to communicate effectively with the examiners so that there’s no ambiguity about what one is trying to say. It is best to be clear in writing the answers, and not make them unnecessarily long just for the sake of doing it.
Grades in examinations do matter and they, to a large extent determine a person’s career graph. The students put their best foot forward and have benefitted from listening to sound wisdom.
RESOURCE CENTRE. FREE FOREVER 