7 Critical Exam Hall Mistakes You Must Avoid 

Feeling the INI-CET pressure? You're not alone!

As the gateway to postgraduate medical courses, this competitive exam can make you feel like you're carrying the world's weight on your shoulders. But don't let the stress get to you - it's time to take charge and conquer the exam hall!

While studying is crucial, avoiding common exam hall mistakes that could cost you marks is also essential. We're here to help you identify and overcome these pitfalls. 

In this blog post, we'll share some of the most common mistakes students make on exam day and in the exam hall, along with some effective tips from Dr Nikita Nanwani on how to avoid them. 

So, buckle up and let's ensure you don't fall victim to these exam hall blunders!

Being Late for the Exam 

Dr Nikita Nanwani says that you mustn't let tardiness derail you on the INI-CET exam day.

Arriving late for the INI-CET exam is a critical mistake that can cost you valuable time and marks. Not only can it affect your mindset and increase your stress levels, but it can also lead to missing out on important instructions or announcements before the exam begins. 

To avoid this, read the information bulletin very carefully. Also, plan your journey to the exam center well and consider factors like traffic and weather conditions. 

Triple-check that all the required documents and items like your admit card, ID proof, stationery, and other essentials are ready the night before.

Poor Time Management

Time management is critical when it comes to the INI-CET exam. Many students make the mistake of spending too much time on one question and end up running out of time to answer the remaining ones. 

On the other hand, some rush through the questions and make careless mistakes. To avoid this, planning and allocating your time efficiently is important. 

For example, you can aim to complete 65 questions in the first hour, another 65 in the next hour, and the remaining 70 in the last hour. This will ensure you have enough time to review your answers and make necessary corrections. 

According to Dr Nikita Nanwani, finding questions you believe you can reasonably answer and tackling them first is another useful strategy you can utilize. This technique lets you pick up marks 'upfront' quickly. 

On the other hand, if you begin with the harder questions, you might not answer them as well as the easier ones. You can also spend excessive time on them and then run out of time to attempt the remaining questions. 

Therefore, try to increase your score from the less complicated questions before moving on to the trickier ones.

Also read: Effective Strategies to Avoid Negative Marking 

Overanalyzing the Questions

Overthinking is a common mistake that can lead to unnecessary stress and anxiety during the INI-CET exam. Sometimes, students tend to overanalyze simple questions and end up confusing themselves. 

Following are some tips from Dr Nikita Nawani to avoid this:

1. Try to approach each question with a calm and clear mind.
2. Read the question carefully and try to identify any important keywords or phrases. If you are completely unsure about the answer, don't waste too much time on it.
3. Move on to the next question and come back to it later if you have time.

However, it would help if you avoided keeping too many questions for review, as this can lead to confusion and unnecessary stress. You must remember that, unlike the NEET PG exam, in INI-CET, the questions marked for review are not evaluated. So, mark the answers in the first go itself instead of leaving too many questions to be reviewed later.

You can read our blog on Tips for Improving Your Score in Clinical Questions. This will help you tackle difficult questions with much ease.

Neglecting Reading Questions Carefully 

The human brain tends to perceive only what it wants to perceive, which increases in stressful situations like the exam room. If we do not read questions mindfully, our brain can easily fool us into believing that a question is asking us something that it isn't. 

Neglecting reading questions and options carefully before answering can cause silly mistakes that can be costly in the INI-CET exam. These mistakes can be caused by not reading the questions carefully, missing out on important keywords, or falling for traps laid by the examiner. 

To avoid this, read each question carefully and identify any negative words like "not" or "except." Also, be aware of any traps or twists in the wording of the question. 

Skimping on Attempts

Attempting fewer questions in the exam due to the fear of negative marking is a critical mistake most students make in the INI-CET exam. While it's important to be cautious and not attempt questions that you are unsure about, it's also important to attempt as many questions as possible. 

The INI-CET exam consists of 200 questions, and you should aim to attempt at least 185 of them. In most cases, you'll be able to rule out some of the options from the answer and narrow your choice to one or two possible answers. As such, there will be a 50/50 chance that you'll score an extra mark. 

So, if you are able to rule out two of the options, take the chance and attempt that question.

Succumbing to Panic

Another critical mistake you are most likely to make during the exam is getting panicked in the exam hall. It's important to maintain your calm and composure during the exam and not let your emotions get the best of you. 

Try to detach yourself from the result of the exam and your expectations. Remember that not performing well in the exam is not the end of the world. Take deep breaths, stay focused, and approach each question with a calm and clear mind.

Make sure you take to heart the tips mentioned above and prevent yourself from making these mistakes in the exam. 

All the very best!