KATHMANDU: Sitting for an exam that contains unanswerable questions is the worse experience for any student. Can there be anything worse than that? From disturbing examinee to cheating friends to unconcerned invigilators, there are numbers of other things that can affect your performance in the exams. Some of our college goers share with The Himalayan Times, their experiences in the exam hall. During one of the board examinations of BDS, a student from another college, who was behind me in the exam hall, requested me to help her solve her questions. In a hope to get her help in the next paper, I cooperated with her. But, in the test of next subject, she refused to help me. It made me angry and we had a discussion. One of her friends was sitting in front of me and she tried to see her friend’s (the girl sitting behind me) answer sheet. As a revenge, I did not let her see her friend’s answer sheet — I blocked it with my body. That was a memorable incident. — Pranayanki Domzone, BDS IIIrd Year, Kathmandu Medical College, Duwakot Though examinations are held by the educational institutions to test a student’s ability, the system is not fair. It is difficult to know a student’s capability only on the basis of marks s/he has scored attending a three-hour-long exam. And if students fail to perform well in exams, they are tagged as failures. While I was in school, I used to live in a hostel. I remember an incident when I was in Class IV. It was the exam-time and I was preparing for the test for the next day (I don’t remember the subject now). Next day, when I got the question paper in the exam hall, I realised that it was the examination of different subject — not the one that I had prepared for. It was a nightmare for me and I was not able to do good in that exam. — Harshit Gurung, BDS IIIrd Year, Kathmandu Medical College, Duwakot Examination is the best way to help evaluate students’ capabilities. So, there is nothing that I dislike about taking exams. But I hate the fact that those who cheat in exams often get good marks than the hard working students. When I was attending SLC exams in Dang, other students in the exam hall were cheating from the guidebook. I was writing my answers honestly and I felt demotivated by the environment of the exam hall then. I was a little depressed as I felt I won’t get good marks even despite working hard. — Santosh Ghimire, Class XI, Caspian College, Kumaripati Examinations in our college life help us to be prepared for the real challenges that we will face in our career, later on. But there are times when I get dissatisfied with exams, especially when someone cheats in the tests. When I took my SLC examination, the exam centre was not strict. Once a boy ran on the desk, from the first row to the fifth to sit beside his friend. The entire class was filled with laughter but the invigilator did not do anything to him. I was surprised when invigilators told the students ‘to cheat without making noise’. I was scared of not scoring good marks. I was angry at the same time because authorities concerned were doing nothing to create a proper environment for exams. — Sulabh Shrestha, Class XI, Caspian College, Kumaripati It is the test of our knowledge — we get to understand our ability in certain subject after attending its exams. A student’s talent can be measured on the basis of the answers s/he has written in the exams. I often tend to get nervous whenever I see a tough question in exams. And I remember a friend who has a habit of disturbing others in the exam hall. During one of the internal exams, he spent entire three hours irritating the invigilator. While we all were writing answers, he would ask for water repeatedly. He would also keep on asking different questions to the invigilator, disturbing everyone in the exam hall. He is like this even in the class. — Joyti Shreema, Class XII, Nepal Institute of Management and Science, Lagankhel Exams help us to think critically, and boost our confidence level. After attending test, we realise our strength and weakness in that particular subject. While preparing for exams we learn to interact with others. Whenever we can’t solve difficult questions, we discuss with our friends and teachers and try to solve them. And this interaction helps us in the examinations later on. I often interact with my friends and teachers to prepare for exams. As such I have never failed in any exams, except for once when I got sick. I was unwell before the board examinations of Class XI. It was the exam of Economics, but I hadn’t recovered. Despite being unwell, I went to attend the exams. I could not solve questions properly — but I stayed for three hours trying to write something. I failed for the first time in my life. I was sad but consoled myself. —Srijana Tamang, Class XII, Nepal Institute of Management and Science, Lagankhel