Top Fear Factors when it comes to Online Entrance Exams
Exams are always scary. Be in India or anywhere else in the world, the word ‘exam’ still evokes an unpleasant mix of nervousness, jitters, and in some extreme cases, upset stomachs. And when it comes to online entrance exams, that jittery feeling rises a notch. We have tried to address most of the common factors that students worry about when it comes to online exams;
Fear Factor 1: Not enough time to view and answer all questions
Most students are used to a physical question paper format where they can view all the questions at the onset of the exam and then begin to answer. When challenged by a blinking computer, students often find that they are unable to manage their time efficiently. Online exams often require students to use paper for rough work, juggle with an online calculator and then switch to the screen and mark the correct answer. This might not be something that most students are comfortable with as most of the learning and problem-solving at tuition centres and classrooms still happen in paper – pencil mode only. There is also the fear that they may not get sufficient time for answering all questions due to non-familiarity with the system.
Tips to manage this situation
– Practice taking as many mock tests online as possible. This will help you in time management and familiarising yourself with the navigation pattern. While attending mock tests, it is advisable to practice the same in an actual test scenario without any interruption for the entire duration of the test.
Fear Factor 2: Mistakes can’t be corrected!
We all know the havoc that stress can create. You could click on the wrong answer in a hurry. You could be running out of time and click on the ‘submit’ button instead of the ‘save’ button. These situations often put students in panic mode.
Tip
– Stay calm before & during the exam. Read all the instructions on your hall ticket & your computer screen thoroughly before you begin your exam. Most online exams allow you to review the answers, mark questions for review and allow you to shuffle between sections during the entire duration of the exam.
Fear Factor 3: Technical glitches can mar my exam
Testing delays due to bad servers or bad/slow connections can occasionally cause trouble. Questions might sometimes be slow to load, or student names might not show up on the computer assigned. Avinash Jain confesses about his worst nightmare where, “You could click ‘submit’ and heave a sigh of relief, thinking it’s over. But wait. You get a popup with a message that says the paper can’t be submitted!
Tips
– Firstly, trust that the examiner has the resources and backup system for any online glitches. In case of any technical problem occurs in the middle of the exam follow the below steps;
- Do not panic
- Be assured that the exams are programmed to auto-save a student’s last marked choice
- Inform your invigilator immediately about the issue that you are facing.
- Do not worry as the timer will automatically adjust the lost time.
- Remain calm and let the technical officer resolve the issue.
In a nutshell, students should, in the first place realise that online exams are designed to make lives easy. The examiners and exam centres will have taken necessary steps to deal with any snag. Having enough preparation and practising the art of staying calm through the examination is the key.