Tips to finish Class 10 Maths board exam on time

Mathematics is one of the highest-scoring subjects in class X. yet there are a few students who fear this subject the most. Even though they may have practiced the problems several times, some students are unable to complete the exam on time. The key to overcoming Math anxiety is practice and more practice. Backed with effective time management during the exam, this is a sure-shot recipe for success.

CBSE too has introduced changes in the Maths paper with the introduction of 2 papers for Mathematics in class 10 Boards. This has been done with the intention to reduce the pressure on students who do not wish to pursue Maths after class 10. There will be two separate levels of the Maths Paper for class 10 Maths i.e. Standard Maths Exam and Basic Math Exam. Those students who do not wish to study Maths in the Higher Secondary level can opt for Basic Maths. The syllabus, however, remains the same.

Not only this, the exam will consist of two components, the theory paper of 80 marks and an internal assessment of 20 marks. 25% of the questions in the paper will be objective type. The total number of questions in the paper has also increased from 30 to 40. There is also more internal choice between questions in the paper.

Pre-Boards are round the corner. While a thorough practice with a focus on the topics that you find tricky is the key to doing well on the day of your Maths board Exam, the tips mentioned in this blog will help you manage your time well and write a perfect exam.

Know the structure of the paper

You must make yourself familiar with the examination pattern, structure of questions and the marking scheme. You will have to solve a total of 40 questions in 3 hours. Below is the structure of your paper:

Section A consists of 20 questions which include MCQ type, fill in the blanks and VSA type questions of 1 mark each. This section carries a total weightage of 20 marks. It does not require much time as the questions are short answer type and thus can be quickly answered if you are thorough with the NCERT. Approximate time to be spent in this section should be between 40 to 45 minutes.

Section B consists of 6 questions of 2 marks each. You will also get an internal choice in some questions. This section will also contain application-based questions which require the application of the formulas and concepts in a real-life scenario. You need to be well versed with the formulas and practice more application-based questions to do this section well. 30 to 35 minutes should be spent in answering the questions in this section.

Section C has 8 questions of 3 marks each with internal choices and application-based questions. Constructions can be asked in this section. Questions related to constructions should be explained with proper steps and justification if required. Again, practice is very important to answer questions quickly and effectively. 40 to 45 minutes is the estimated time to be spent in this section.

Section D has 6 questions with internal choices. The questions in this section are long as they carry 4 marks each, so make sure you have ample time left for this section. Questions based on statistics, plotting graphs, applications of trigonometry can be asked in this section. In the chapter statistics, where one needs to find the mean, median, mode, making tables is very important. It requires calculations so, make sure that you double-check the calculations to avoid mistakes in the final answer. This section also requires 40 to 45 minutes on an average.

Read the question paper thoroughly

You will get an additional 15 minutes to go through the question paper. Utilize this time, read the questions properly and draft a plan in your mind on how you want to attempt the paper. The first thing to do is to spot questions that you can answer well and prioritize those questions to be attempted. So, the entire strategy of attempting questions should begin from attempting known to unknown questions. Remember to write down the question number clearly. 

Keep in mind the marks allotted to each question

Before you attempt a question, keep in mind the marks the question is for you and therefore how much time you should spend working on it. This way you will be able to manage your time better and also ensure that no question is left unsolved due to the lack of time.

Start with the easy

While going through the paper, you may encounter questions that seem to be complex. Don’t waste your time fretting over these questions. Worrying will make you anxious and this will affect your performance. So, simply start with the easier problems and as you proceed question by question, you will gain confidence for the difficult problems as well. This way, when you actually start solving them, you will find most of them to be much easier than they seemed earlier!

Keep a close eye on time

Always wear a watch while appearing for an exam. Keep a check on how much time you are spending on each section. It will help pace up if you need to in the end. Don’t worry if you marginally exceed the time allotted per question, on one single question or two; as long as you are in the limit you had mentally allotted for a section, you are going fine. 

All these tips if followed will surely help you write a perfect exam within the allotted time. Ultimately, focus on giving your best without being worried about the result. Have confidence in your preparation and you will come out with flying colors. 

Happy Studying!
Team Meritnation