Kathmandu:

The School Leaving Certificate (SLC) exams, or as it is said — the dreaded Iron Gate — is round the corner. And for all SLC-appearing students, it is high time you got ready to face it. Here are a few pointers to help you face this tough test squarely and come out with flying colours.

Make a calendar

Write down your exam date or timetable (if you have) and stick it on a space near your study table where you can see it. This will remind you of the amount of time left for the exams. Write down important formulae, equations or anything you find difficult in big charts, and post it on the walls of your room.

Right place

Study at a table or sit on the floor when you study. The comfort of your bed is too cosy and might make you sleepy after just a few minutes.

Before studying get all the necessary study tools ready — notes, copies, stationery — in front of you so you do not have to search for them later, which will surely disturb your concentration.

Everything that has been given to you is not important. So underline or use a highlighter to mark the important points.

Right time

If you have set aside a certain study time, request your family members not to disturb you during that time with minor household chores. This will help you to concentrate fully.

Request your friends not to call at all hours of the day, or tell your parents/siblings to take down a message when you are studying.

Ask them to not to disturb you at any cost.

Practice your sums

Just going for tuitions or coaching classes is not your ticket to success. Watching your teacher do those sums is not going to get you to pass the Iron Gate. You have to practice the sums yourselves, daily and regularly. It might be tiresome initially, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll actually enjoy it.

Find your time

Find out when your brain works best. For most its mornings or evenings. Find yours out and study the subjects you find difficult then.

However, sometimes students tend to focus a lot on the difficult subjects, and neglect the easy ones. You have eight subjects to prepare for, so divide your time according to your strengths and weaknesses for each.

• The mornings and nights are quieter, so you have the advantage of concentrating more during these hours.

• In the afternoons, you usually tend to get a bit lazy, so go for a subject you find easy. You could practice your sums in the afternoon as it requires you to write as well as read.

• The evenings, usually around 6:00-8:00 pm, is another good time to opt for a difficult subject.

Study in points

List down all the important points, so that it will be easier for you to refer to it in the future.

While writing those down, do it neatly. Scribbling down wherever you like is just going to create confusion when you look at it later.

Remembering things

As much as we’d love to give our own answers, we can’t deny the fact that our education system requires us to mug up things. So do it.

If reading out aloud helps you to memorise things better and faster, then opt for it.

If you prefer to go through your texts silently, then stick to it.

Writing down what you have learnt helps you to remember things. However, just writing down once may not be enough. Do it at least three or four times.

Revise, revise revise

Just studying once is not enough. You need to revise as you may have forgotten things. So, the other key to scoring high in SLC apart from studying is ‘Revising, revising and revising’. After completing a chapter or finishing a certain portion, go through again. Then revise a few days later.

Set a timetable

Setting up a study timetable helps. Divide your time for all the eight subjects. Choose the subjects and time according to your convenience. Here’s a sample we’ve prepared for you to base you own personalised timetable on. This is just a example; you don’t need to follow it strictly.

• 5-7:00 am – Science

• Breakfast

• 7.30-9.30 am Nepali

• Break

• 9.45-11:00 am Population

• Break

• 11.30 am-1:00 pm English

• Lunch

• 2-4:00 pm Maths

• Break

• 4.15-6:00 pm Accounts

• Break

• 6.15-8 pm Optional Maths

• Dinner

• 9-10:00 pm Computer

Take a break

If you’ve been sitting at the table reading that same line 10 times without a word going to your head, take a break. Remember to take some time to unwind — watch TV, listen to music, play outdoor games, chat with friends to freshen up yourselves.

This will help you a lot in your preparation as it relieves your mind and gives you a break from the monotony of studying.

In the hall

When you are writing your answers, attempt ‘all’ questions. Do not leave out any. Even if you are in doubt, write as much as you know. As there is no negative marking, there is no fear of marks being deducted for incorrect answers.

Do the grammar portions first in English and Nepali. It’s those one/two-mark-questions, which when added up really help you to score big.