You've put in the study hours — don't let avoidable exam-day mistakes cost you marks. Here are ten practical tips.
1. Reach the Center Early
Aim to arrive at least 60-90 minutes before the reporting time mentioned on your admit card. Traffic and security checks can eat up more time than expected.
2. Carry the Right Documents
Printed admit card, valid original photo ID, and any specific documents mentioned in your admit card instructions — don't leave this to the last minute.
3. Attempt Your Strongest Section First
Since there's no negative marking, start with the section you're most confident in to build momentum and secure easy marks early.
4. Don't Leave Any Question Unanswered
With zero negative marking, an educated guess is always better than a blank OMR bubble.
5. Manage Your Time Per Section
With 150 questions in 150 minutes, budget roughly 1 minute per question, leaving a buffer for review.
6. Read Pedagogy Questions Twice
Pedagogy-based questions often have two "almost correct" options — a careless first read can cost you marks here.
7. Bubble Carefully on the OMR Sheet
If you're taking the offline OMR-based exam, double-check that your bubbled option matches your intended answer every 10 questions or so.
8. Keep a Buffer for Language Comprehension
Unseen passages take longer to read under exam pressure — don't rush through them in your first pass.
9. Stay Hydrated, Stay Calm
Carry a transparent water bottle if allowed, and take a few deep breaths if you hit a tough question — skip and return later.
10. Review Before Submitting
If time permits, use the last 10 minutes to review marked/skipped questions rather than second-guessing answers you're already confident about.
Good luck! Revisit our CTET exam pattern page one last time the night before to refresh the structure in your mind.