The board exam of class 10 is a critical point in any student’s life as it determines the career path most suitable to the student based on their capabilities. It is also the first exam of their lives that is of significant importance. I hail from the state of Gujarat so naturally my 10th board exams were conducted by Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSEB). In the following article I would like to share my class 10 board exam journey and experience.

My biggest hurdle

In my early years of education I had great difficulty in the subject of mathematics, but as class 10 started the realization hit that I simply lacked a teacher suited to my specific personal needs. This was made apparent to me by the lectures of my class 10th math teacher, to this date I am very grateful to them for my growth and improvement in the subject.

Mathematics as a subject was quite important to me as I planned on pursuing the field of Engineering in the future. The teaching and guidance received from a teacher with great concept clarity and in-depth knowledge of the subject became a canon event for my life. It is from that point onwards that I started to improve a lot just by myself due to the newly found confidence and love for the subject.

The help and support of my friends and family along with the consistent and dedicated efforts of my teacher encouraged me to give my 100% and work hard diligently to improve myself. This growth was clearly visible with the improvement of my scores, from scoring 35/80 I went to scoring 71/80 in mathematics. I scored 96/100 in my Math paper of class 10 board exam. With determination and strong will and right guidance and support anyone can achieve their goals and ambitions.

Preparation

The syllabus for the board exam was completed very quickly, the rest of the few weeks before exam we just had extra classes for revision and doubt solving along with mock tests and practice papers. Students were instructed to solve maximum possible previous year question papers. I designed a daily routine that would cater to my every need while devoting maximum time to studies. It had relaxation breaks between studying, physical activity time, time to meditate, and perform my daily necessary activities while allowing me to get 7 hours of sleep each day.

As the exam approached I started getting more and more anxious and nervous, but I did not let it waver my mind from my goals and believed in my preparation with a positive attitude. I understood the importance of time as I had to revise a vast syllabus in just a few days and be quick with my answers all the while maintaining a clear and legible handwriting during the exam.

A few days before the exam I went and checked out my exam center, it was a small school close to both my house and my school, it was well maintained, neat and clean with all the facilities necessary, quite satisfactory. The classrooms were locked and no one was allowed inside as a preventive measure for cheating.

The Exam

On the morning of my first board exam paper I gathered all my stationery and admit card and went to my exam center, I reached to see many of my classmates all full of excitement and anticipation just like me. As I entered the designated classroom the air felt tense, students were anxious and nervous about their performance and the suspense of questions was eating away at them. Such attitude can greatly hamper your performance, just relax and be calm, take deep breaths and focus on all you remember about the subject.

Soon the supplementary was distributed and with the sound of the bell so were the question papers. Without wasting a second students around me started solving the questions and writing their answers, I too reacted with utmost urgency and haste to solve the questions and write my answers with accuracy and neatness as quickly as possible.

The minutes turned into hours and I kept on answering each question the best I could, my efforts had bear fruit as I was satisfied with my answers and attempted each and every question. I finished my paper and shortly after the exam was over. I walked out of the center with a smile and relief on my face knowing I did my best. The other exams went pretty much the same and I was fairly satisfied by my results in each exam and overall.

Additional Tips

Read the questions thoroughly and attempt the easier questions first, do not be distracted. Attempt all questions but know how much time to give to each question, time management is of paramount. Keep your answer sheet neat and clean, be fast as well as accurate. After exam have a healthy discussion with friends but do not let it hamper your confidence, keep believing in your efforts and have faith. Prepare well for the next exam by learning from your mistakes.

Lessons from Past

Pursuing an Engineering course currently, as I look back at my class 10 board exams, I realize it was a test of our determination, hard work, and consistency more than our knowledge. It taught us the importance of time management, being calm under tense situations and how imperative it is to be consistent with your efforts in order to gain results. Each exam since then has only added to my personal growth and development, turning me into disciplined and smart student.

Conclusion

To sum it all up, my journey through the class 10 GSEB Board exam was a life changing experience with a lot of hurdles and challenges that I overcame to reach my desired goals. I believe the struggle is more valuable than the exam itself as it ends up teaching us many essential skills along with developing our personalities to face such events in the future.