Exam Day Checklist for MCQ-Based Recruitment Tests

On exam day, small problems can cost big marks: arriving late, forgetting a document, or filling in the answer sheet incorrectly. A short checklist removes these risks so you can focus entirely on the questions.

Always follow the instructions on your admit card or call letter. They take priority over any general advice, including this guide.

The night before

• Admit card or call letter printed and checked (date, time, venue)
• Original CNIC, plus any other identity documents the instructions require
• Pens of the type specified (often a blue or black ballpoint), plus a spare
• Route to the venue planned, with extra time for traffic
• Clothes ready, alarm set, early night

Check the instructions for items that are not allowed, such as mobile phones, smartwatches, calculators or bags. Bringing a prohibited item can cause problems at the entrance.

The morning

• Eat a light, normal breakfast.
• Leave early enough to arrive well before the reporting time.
• Avoid last-minute cramming in the waiting area. A quick look at your “don’t confuse” list is the most you need.

Before the paper starts

• Listen carefully to the invigilator’s instructions.
• Fill in your roll number and other details exactly as instructed, and double-check them. Mistakes here can invalidate a paper.
• Note the start time and calculate your checkpoints (for a 90-minute, 100-question paper: about question 50 by the 25-minute mark).

During the paper

• Use the three-pass method: answer what you know first, return to harder questions, then decide on guesses. Our time management guide explains it.
• Read every question fully, especially those containing “NOT”, “EXCEPT” or “INCORRECT”.
• Mark answers carefully. If you skip a question, make sure the next answer goes on the correct line. A misaligned answer sheet is a painful and avoidable mistake.
• Follow your guessing strategy based on the marking scheme. See our guide on negative marking.
• Do not get stuck. If a question takes more than a minute and a half, move on and come back.

The last five minutes

• Check that every intended answer is clearly marked.
• Make sure there are no double-marked questions.
• Confirm your roll number and details once more.

If you feel anxious

A little nervousness is normal and even helps focus. If anxiety rises:

• pause for three slow, deep breaths
• skip to a question you know well to rebuild confidence
• remember that one difficult question is only one mark

After the exam

Resist the urge to compare answers with others immediately. It rarely helps and often causes needless worry. Check official answer keys or results only on the commission’s website.