CBSE Board 2020: What you need to know | How to Prepare for Exams

Reading Time: 12 minutes

CBSE Board 2020

CBSE board 2020 exams are just around the corner. Even the sound of it can send jitters down the spine of students. It still has an impact over me, even after all these years! However, we cannot ignore the importance that they hold. But, on a more optimistic note, there are always various effective ways to deal with these exams in a better way. Let us not forget that board exams are like a roller coaster ride. It is a whirlwind of emotions, bouts of nervousness and excitement. In the end, it is an enjoyable experience and we all emerge stronger.

The dates for the board exams for 10th and 12th have been released. These dates are be available over the internet on the CBSE website, www.cbse.nic.in. As per the reports, the exams will start from the 15th of February 2020.

How to Check the Exam Dates:

The user can easily check the exam dates by going through the official website of CBSE, which is www.cbse.nic.in. Once you are on the page, you need to:

• Log on the CBSE web page.
• Click on the link’ CBSE class 10th board exam 2020 datasheet’. This is easily found on the home page of the site.
• Now, go through the examination dates corresponding to your class.
• It is advisable to download and keep a print out of the same for future use.

How to Prepare for CBSE Boards 2020 Exams

CBSE boards are one of the most awaited exams in the country. As all exams in every aspect of our lives are important, but it is the boards that leave a lasting impact on our lives and for the rest of our lives. So, the best way to deal with the elephant in the room is to stop fearing it all the way and learn to have control over it. In a nutshell, there are ways and manners to be better prepared for the boards and to score well in your exams. Let us take a look at a few basic yet essential tips that can help you better prepare for the CBSE board 2020:

Make a proper Schedule 

• It is one of the most critical and fundamental practices when preparing for any important exams in your life. Schedule yourself well. Make a proper time- table for your sleeping and waking up patterns. This will require a little bit of discipline and a lot of dedication. As the board exams are to be commenced from the 15th of February 2020, your preparation can be set according to a proper schedule starting from now, even if you haven’t started.
•  It is not something from a ‘boot camp’ but in fact, a few basic adjustments in your everyday schedules to be able to devote more time to your exam preparations. The best way to look at it is to view it like a Marathon and not a race. You need to prepare yourself mentally, warm up a bit, get all the resources you can, and catch your pace slow at the beginning and increase gradually. A balanced diet and some exercise can do wonders for your understanding and preparation.

Never overdo anything.

• This is a thumb rule to follow for anything valuable in your life. In fact, a teacher of mine once said to us before our boards ‘act as if it is not an exam at all…!’. This implies to the fact that when preparing for one of the most important exams of your lives, be sure to ‘treat’ it with patience, the right amount of scheduling and the perfect way to time your performances.
• Targets are always set in the ‘mind’ at first before they materialize. So, clear up the clutter in your head and stay calm. Do not let peer pressure take over you. It is not a good idea to get scared just because your neighbour is. Everyone has their struggles and their own ways of dealing with it. So, be sure to find your own coping mechanism.
• Set realistic goals, one at a time and never overburden yourself. It is the quality of the time you spend preparing rather than the quantity that impacts your results. Be constructive in your approach towards your timings and schedule of the syllabus.
• Try to begin with a topic of a subject you enjoy. Deal with the challenging aspect of your subject of choice and gradually built pace. This will give you the much-required boost to do well in the other subjects as well.

The Combination

• Your subjects that make a part of your daily schedule should be done in a balanced manner. Remember, ‘balance’ is the key. So, when we talk about a combination, it is important to schedule yourself with the preparation of the subject you find difficult along with the ones you ace. This will help you calm down your jitters and help you relax.
• If you need to start your day, you can do so with solving the sample paper of a subject you are strong at and then proceeding towards a tougher subject. This gives a better perspective and also prevents you from demoralizing yourself. It trains your mind into believing that even the difficult subjects can be dealt with just like the easier ones.

The Sample Papers

• CBSE sample papers are a ‘holy grail’ to one of the best methods of exam preparation. So, get yourself a nice stack of all the important sample papers from the last 10 years in all the subjects. This will get you as close to the real deal as possible.
• Utilize your day, choose a room which is peaceful and quiet. Set a timer to the required timing given during the actual boards and start your paper solving.
• It can be done first thing in the morning. Set each day for the next five days for each subject.

Learn to relax 

• Learn to relax. As mentioned earlier, boards are important but still just an exam. It is considered important because it is the first step for all students in their lives of facing many more exams. Anyway, It is the challenges that we face that help us grow.
• Do not think about the entire process and take each day as it comes. Plan yourself well and set a realistic goal regarding the preparation. Sketch out your time table in a manner that you do have time to breathe and relax as well. While it is important to study hard, it is also essential to be kind to yourself and give an hour or two for indulging in something that you enjoy doing. Get in touch with an activity that you enjoy indulging in. Learn methods of relaxation and get in touch with your inner peace.
• It is recommended to develop the art of relaxation of the minds. If it is a specific form of music you like, do listen to it in your free time. If you want to dance, well dance a bit, if you like to draw and colour do that as well for a couple of minutes. You can play outside for some time or a simple walk along the park in the mornings can be a great way to start your day.
• If you like listening to ‘Mantras’ do so and get in touch with your inner peace. If the recitation of the ‘Holy Quran’ soothes your soul, do so. Visit the Church if it calms you down. Do anything as long as it is legal of course!

Be realistic 

• Find your strength and do not follow a ‘tip’ just because it helped your uncle’s daughter’s neighbour top the boards ten years ago. It is not a very smart thing to stay up the entire night studying just because your best friend does it. Maybe it works for her because she has been doing it from the start. So, time yourself sensibly, early start during the day with an excellent breakfast, and positive vibes is a great way to start your preparations. Find out what are your most productive hours and do your best during those hours. Also, as it is preparation time, it is good to try and cultivate a reasonable time scale and scheduling procedures to study ‘smart’ and efficiently.
• The key is to stick to the syllabus and not try ‘superman’ stunts when trying to solve ‘brilliant’ problems all the time. It is good to be smart, but it is also important to be realistic all the same. The board papers are set from the NCERT syllabus, so be sure to read it cover to cover at the first ‘round of preparation’. After this, you can try taking up a couple of ‘guide books’ or exam questions to improve your level of preparation. There are times when the question paper was so simple that it sent many students in a panic attack! Of course, because they had prepared for the brainstorms, neglecting the fundamental concepts of the syllabus.
• So, build your base strongly as it is the foundation of the levels of excellence and complexity. It is good if you can solve a tough problem in seconds. Still, it will be a massive shame if you got stuck with a basic problem simply because you thought it was too simple for your intelligence.

The CBSE results analysis: 2019

The CBSE boards for the year 2019 was conducted on the 6th of May 2019. It was reported that around 91.1 % of the students cleared the 10th CBSE boards for the year. This was, in fact is quite an excellent overall result. By analyzing the CBSE board 2018 and 2019, it was found that the pass percentage had increased in 2019. The 10th board results 2019 was all the more encouraging with 13 students getting 499/500 total marks. 

As for the class 12th boards 2019, the exams were conducted on the 2nd of May 2019. The overall board toppers were Karishma Arora and Hansika Shukla with an admirable 499/500 overall marks.

The compartment exams for 10th and 12th class board exams were held in June and July respectively. 

The Fee Hike controversy

Much to the dismay of the CBSE students in India and abroad, CBSE has released a revised fee structure for 10th and 12th boards. The fee has been increased by 24 times for the SC/ST students and almost doubled for the general category. 

The revised fee structure for Class 10th CBSE board exams 2020:

From INR 50 increased to INR 1200 for SC/ST category for 5 subjects in total

From INR 750 amount increased to INR 1500 fpr General Category for 5 subjects in total

For extra subjects

From INR-0 to INR 300 for SC/ST category per subject.

From INR 150 to INR 300 for General category per subject.

The board was pretty serious about implementing the hike in fees to such an extent that the schools that had already registered the exam fees from the students as per the old structure were asked to collect the difference in the amount to the soonest.

Other changes made for CBSE board exams 2020.

1. Special provisions for visually challenged students

Although the fee structures were revised for the General and the SC/St students appearing for the CBSE board exams 2020, the visually impaired students were spared from the blazes of the fee hike 2020. The visually disabled students will be allowed to continue to ‘not have to pay any fee’ for appearing for the exams 2020.

Also, revolutionizing the exam system even further, the CBSE has taken a step ahead to make the exams all the smoother for the visually challenged and blind students. According to the latest reports and the statements released, the students will be allowed to use ‘technological assistance’ to help them through the exams.

This mainly implies that; visual aids will be allowed in the CBSE exams 2020. This is a breakthrough for the concerned groups of students, as now it will be all the easier for the visually challenged to breeze through the exams. These visual aids include:

• Large font question papers
• Use of magnifying glasses
• Portable video magnifiers

This step is revolutionary as it will allow the students to not to rely on scribes or assistant writers to appear for the exams. Now, these students can very well express themselves the way they want to over the question papers. Also, the step was much required, as many students who are visually challenged were forced to opt for homeschooling because of the lack of aid and facilities in the schools. 

As observed by Vidhya V, who is the topper in the visually impaired category from IIITB, Bangalore, says that this is a tiny step towards an entire revolution in the learnings for the visually challenged and will surely go a long way in improving their education scenario.

2. Increase in the Migration Fee

From INR 150 to INR 300

3. Student Studying abroad

The students studying in CBSE schools abroad the increased fee structure for CBSE board exams 2019-20 is:

INR 5000 to INR 10000 for 5 subjects.

For extra subject, INR 1000 to INR 2000 per subject for class 12th boards 2020.

Reasons for the Fee hike

The fee hike for the board exams 2020 was much of a shocker for the most part of the country and also for those studying abroad in the CBSE schools. However, the board has released a statement explaining the reasons for the fee hike. Stating that it is valid and reasonable.

According to the reports, the hike in the fees is essential as it is required for the self-sustenance of the board and also to be able to maintain the CV quality in the examinations. The quality of evaluation and to overcome the deficit in the financial area, this move was beneficial.

The board has gone ahead in declaring that the reasons are 100 per cent deployment of observers and deputy Centre Superintendents. However, as an after-thought, the CBSE board has taken the responsibility of the action and says that the deficit will be neutralized as the competitive exams will now be conducted by National Testing Agency.

The latest changes in the Pattern of CBSE board Exams 2020

• The CBSE board exams 2020 will include a two-level math exam with each having fewer questions.
• It has been declared by the board that the students will have to maintain a minimum of 75% attendance to be able to appear for the board exams.
• The board exams 2020 will start from the 15th of February, 2020. 
• The admit cards will be allowed to only those students who have all the mandatory conditions full filled by the board.
• In case of an emergency situation with regards to low attendance, the concerned students will have to submit the supporting documents to the authorities.
• The final decision with regards to the validity of the reason for a shortage in attendance will be taken in to account on or before the 7th of January.
• The question paper will consist of:
  • exams – 30 marks
  • assessment—20 marks
  • marks 100
  • No practical assessment included

Guidelines for Practical Exams of All India Senior School Certificate Examination

The CBSE board as released a circular titled ‘Guidelines for Practical exams of All India Senior School Certificate Examination’.

According to this, the practical exams will be conducted between the 1st of January 2020 to the 7th of February 2020. It has been clearly stated that attendance is compulsory for these exams. The process of practical exams includes:

• The school premises will be used for conducting the practical exams.
• Each school will have an external examiner
• Each practical examination will require the presence of an external and an internal examiner.
• There will be batches allotted for each practice exam.
• Each batch will consist of 20-25 students in them.
• Daily, two batches will be allowed to appear for practical exams.
• The marks obtained can be seen on the official website.          
• The private students need not appear for the practical exams. Students who were in the previous year, the result of the exams will be carried over for the exams 2020.
• As for the students who have no result data available even from the previous years, their practical marks will be allotted as per ‘pro-rata basis’.
• The Pro-rata basis includes giving out practical exam marks based on the theory exam marks obtained by the students.
• The same rule applies for students who have failed or could not appear for the CBSE boards 2019.
• The same rule applies for those students who have cleared all the papers of board exam 2018 and have to appear for an additional subject that includes a practical score for the board exam 2020.

The above are the facts related to all thing essential for the CBSE board exams 2020 and have been implemented by the board across the country and abroad.