Five advantages of solving previous year’s test papers

Being scared of competitive exams is natural and expected. Everyone prepares for these exams, but the certainty that they will do well in the said exams eludes all. The best way to get around this feeling is to solve test papers.
Here are five reasons why you should make it a habit to do one or more test papers daily once you have covered a large part of your syllabus:

Quick revision
After reading a major portion of your syllabus, apart from revising your notes, you can take a crack at solving a test paper which will show you how much you remember. The relook at the topic is faster and fun to do.

Evaluation
When you do solve previous year’s exam papers, you get to know which areas you are lacking in. “A mock test is the closest thing to an actual exam where you can get the results instantly. The answers will show you your strengths while the weaker ones will tell you which subject you need to pay more attention to,” K Venkatesh, faculty for TSPSC exams at Civic Centre in Gandhinagar.

Strategise
All aspirants have some strategy for attempting the competitive exams. A test paper can help you formulate the right strategy. When you take a mock exam, you will know whether your strategy is working or not. Instead of experimenting on the day of the exam, experiment with a mock test.

Time management
If you take a shot at reading previous year’s exam papers in a disciplined and timely manner, it can be a great demo for you. Such test papers can almost be like a pseudo-exam, if taken seriously enough. You can kill two birds with one stone — control your nerves and know which sections you are spending more time answering.

Timing
“Take a mock test when you feel confident enough about the syllabus you have covered so far. Identify mistakes and work on rectifying them before exam day,” adds Venkatesh. Take the test sitting at a proper table and chair with no distractions, and keep required stationery tools handy. You could ask a parent or sibling to tell you when your time is near to finishing, if you really want to create an exam-like environment. Make sure you have had your food before taking the exam.
— Kota Saumya