Making a ‘marked’ difference

The CBSE may have not assigned separate marks for either neatness or presentation of answers, but board officials and answer sheet examiners feel the two are quite important for several reasons, reports Ritika Chopra.

We all know that thorough preparation is the key to scoring well in Board exams. But how does one gain an edge over thousand other students appearing for the same test across the country? A good presentation of answers is what comes in handy in this case.

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The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) may have not assigned separate marks for either neatness or presentation of answers, but board officials and answer sheet examiners feel the two are quite important for several reasons.

“Little details such as writing your question numbers neatly or in a legible form can save the examiner a lot of effort. Students need to understand that the answer sheet is the only contact between him/her and the examiner. You will not be there to explain what you’ve written,” said a CBSE official.

Apart from writing neatly, the student should also ensure that all answers are in order. “A lot of thought goes into formulating a question paper. Therefore, it’s also important that the answers are in order of the questions. A jumbled order of answers means that may be the student is not confident. Marks will flow more freely if you stick to order,’ said Udita Ganguly, Head of English department at Delhi Public School, RK Puram, who has also been an examiner for the Board in the past.

Lastly, don’t forget to keep your language simple. The papers are examined by teachers from across the country. It’s best to steer clear from using flowery words and write answers that can be comprehended by all.