Don’t mix entrance with board exams, say experts

She suggests that you stick to your NCERT book, and while you’re at it, make a list of all formulae that are there in the syllabus and learn them up thoroughly. Formulae, she points out, carry separate marks. And this list, will not only help you get those derivations right, it will also serve as a ready-reckoner to check on just before you go to take your exam. According to her, a student must pay special attention to the 15-marks questions. “If you are thorough with Van De Graff, amplifiers, optical instruments, LCR circuits, galvanometers, nuclear reactor, e/m by Thompson, Millican’s oildrops method, generators, Lancemakers’ formula, cyclotron it will really help,” she recommends. Adding that student MUST practice all numericals based on these. Besides formulae, she tells students to learn up all the units of physical quantities in the syllabus. “Always mention the units. They carry separate marks,” she warns. She also advises the average students to stick to just one extra book and that they payspecial attention to the “important points” at the end of every chapter. While attempting the paper, she says that students attempt the direct questions first.

“Indirect questions may be a little confusing and take some time to figure out,” she says, adding that the application-based questions be saved up for later.

She suggests that special attention be paid to the five-marks questions. “These questions must be attempted in great detail. Divide your question under different heads, such as principle, construction, diagram (labelled), units, and so on. And make sure you draw a diagram wherever required and label it neatly.”

According to Oshima Mathur, a physics teacher with the Naval Public School, the eight-marks chapters, such as Electrostatics, Thermal and chemical effects of current and magnet; E.M.I and alternating currents and Solids and semiconducting devices, must be prepared in greater detail. “Similarly, Current Electricity, which is a seven-marks chapter must not be left out at any cost. It is not only easy, but has also been covered in the practicals. Students just need to brush it up,” she says.

Mathur feels that students must try and maintain some kind of order while attempting the paper. “You need not start from the first question, but you must attempt certain blocks in order. And these blocks could be based on marks,” she suggests.

But more importantly, you must “write something,” say teachers. Each step carries marks. Even half a mark for a writing a formula and another half for the unit would be better than no marks at all, they reason.

SYLLABUS:
(Theory: 70 marks)
Electrostatics: 8
Current electricity: 7
Thermal and chemical effects of current and magnet: 8
Magnetism: 4
E.M.I and alternating currents: 8
Electromagnetic waves and wave optics: 7
Ray optics and optical instruments: 7
Electrons, photons and atomic molecules and nuclei: 10
Solids and semiconducting devices: 8; Universe: 3