CBSE Class 12 chemistry exam 2020: Preparations tips

Numericals too are important and carry a weightage of 12 to 15 marks, go through “solved numericals from the NCERT books,” advise teachers.

All your concepts have to be clear if you want to ace the Class 12 chemistry paper for the Central Board of Secondary Education board exam. Going through the summary and important points at the end of each chapter in the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) textbook will help immensely, say experts .

CBSE Class 12 chemistry exam 2020. (Unsplash)

“Each chapter in the NCERT book has major points as well as a summary at the end. Students must revise this thoroughly,” advises Neenu Rajvanshi, chemistry teacher at the Government Model Senior Secondary School (GMSSS), Sector 33.

Students are also advised not to ignore P block, D and F block, aldehydes and ketones, which carry maximum weightage.

“From the P block learn the concept based questions and from the D and F block revise questions based on the properties of transition metals. These are important and figure regularly in the exams,” advises Rajvanshi.

Name reactions are very crucial in organic chemistry. “Students feel that organic chemistry is slightly difficult. Many students say they are unable to learn the name reactions, but they should focus on it as nothing is more scoring than organic chemistry,” she adds

Numericals too are important and carry a weightage of 12 to 15 marks, go through “solved numericals from the NCERT books,” advise teachers.

Only three chapters have numericals in chemistry, namely solutions, electrochemistry and chemical kinetics.

“Students should attempt numericals step wise. First, write the statement, substitute values and then add formula. The calculation carries one or two marks,” says Seema Malhotra, teacher at GMSSS, Sector 19 says,

The chapter solid state and nitrogen family from the P block are no longer included in the syllabus of the Class 12 board examinations. Certain changes have also been made by CBSE in the paper pattern, with section A carrying 20 questions of one mark each and section B, C and D carrying two marks, three marks and five mark questions, respectively. There will be internal choice between section B, C and D.

“After the change in the paper pattern, students should be careful while doing the multiple choice questions and avoid deletions. They should leave space and attempt the question only when they are sure of the answer,” says Malhotra.

Also, in the questions of reason assertion, the students should read the statements carefully, she adds.

Physical chemistry includes solutions, electrochemistry, chemical kinetics and surface chemistry, a section with 23 marks.

Extractions and metallurgy, P block elements, D and F block elements and co-ordination compounds are important parts of inorganic chemistry, with the section carrying 19 marks.

Organic chemistry, with 18 marks, has haloalkenes and haloarenes, alcohols and phenols, aldehydes and carboxylic acids as well as organic compounds containing nitrogen.

Seven sure shot ways of getting a good score

1. Do numerical of solutions, electrochemistry and chemical kinetics.

2. Learn the organic name reactions such as aldol condensation, Cannizzaro reaction, Hell–Volhard–Zelinsky (HVZ) reaction, Kolbe’s reaction and Reimer-Tiemann reaction

3. Write SI unit and formulae in the numericals

4. Attempt sections you know well first in the exam

5. Prepare conceptual questions from P block, D and F block and underline key points

6. Structures of oxy acids of sulphur, interhalogen compounds and Xenon compounds must be revised

7. Revise chemistry in everyday life thoroughly.

Toppers talk

Abhipriya Bhattacharya , Sacred Heart Convent School,

93.8 %

‘Flow charts, mnemonics can be used effectively for quick revision’

Tell us about your revision strategy

I focused on self study, which was done after school hours and tuitions. I took some time out for relaxation too every day.

For how many hours did you study?

I studied between six to eight hours every day. During the day I spent around five hours at the school, two to four hours at tuitions after school and after that three to four hours studying on my own.

I slept for around seven hours and spent one or two hours on recreational activities.

Any revision tips?

Students should make easy notes. Flow charts and mnemonics can be used effectively for quick revision. Diagrams too make things easy to remember.

Any specific tips for studying chemistry?

Students can make catchy sentences and poems for remembering the elements in the periodic table. I also made colour coded flash cards for the coordination chemistry.

For studying the properties of chemistry compounds, I made tables and flow charts.

What helped you relax?

I listened to music or read a novel.

Role of teachers in your success?

Teachers made chemistry interesting, kept me motivated, and were always there to clear doubts and answer my questions.

How did your parents help?

They gave me moral support and motivation and ensured I did not get stressed.

As told to Deepinder Singh