Top 10 Mistakes Class 10 Students Must Avoid
Mistakes Class 10 Students Must Avoid: The CBSE class 10 board examinations play a crucial role in students’ academic success. Additionally, it lays the foundation for further studies. Based on class 10 scores, students can select the most suitable stream for higher classes.
Achieving a high score in the 10th board exam can help students meet the eligibility criteria of various competitive exams. Therefore, it is essential to effectively prepare for class 10th exams. However, many students make multiple mistakes during the preparation phase, which affects their performance in the final exam. These may include improper time management, unclear concepts, procrastination, etc. To strengthen exam preparation, students must avoid these common mistakes.
Top 10 Mistakes Class 10 Students Must Avoid
The CBSE class 10 board exams are a significant academic milestone, which shapes students’ academic and career opportunities. Strategic preparation in class 10 is key to scoring good marks. However, many students make common mistakes that can impact their final scores. Here are the top 10 mistakes class 10 students must avoid to enhance their preparation:
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Not Creating Study Plan
Many students start their class 10 board preparation without a clear study plan, believing they have enough time to cover the syllabus. This lack of structured preparation often leads to unorganised study sessions. This approach increases anxiety and lowers self-confidence. Students who don’t have a structured study plan face challenges in balancing multiple subjects effectively, leading to gaps in understanding concepts and topics.
Solution: When starting board exam preparation, students should create a structured study timetable that breaks down the entire syllabus into smaller, manageable sections. Additionally, they should allocate specific time slots for each subject, ensuring they cover all important chapters. Include regular revision sessions to reinforce learning and identify weak areas early. This approach not only keeps candidates on track but also builds confidence as the exams approach.
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Overlooking Syllabus
A common mistake in class 10 is ignoring the updated CBSE class 10 syllabus and instead focusing on previous years’ syllabus topics. This practice can lead to wasting time on irrelevant information and missing crucial concepts that carry high weight in the final exams. Many students mistakenly believe that studying broadly will prepare them better, but this often prevents them from studying with precision.
Solution: Students should download the latest class 10 syllabus from the CBSE official website and get familiar with the syllabus of each subject. Understand the weightage of different chapters and prioritise study time accordingly. This strategic approach allows candidates to focus on high-scoring topics and avoid unnecessary distractions.
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Procrastination
Procrastination is a common challenge that can significantly impact students’ exam preparation. Many students tend to delay their studies or leave a challenging topic to cover later, often convincing themselves that there’s plenty of time left. This practice can lead to incomplete syllabus coverage, ineffective revision, and increased stress as the exam date approaches.
Solution: To avoid procrastination, students should start their preparation early. Additionally, they should set realistic goals and follow a structured study plan to effectively cover all the topics. They must also prioritise difficult topics early in the schedule to reduce last-minute pressure.
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Relying on Irrelevant Study Material
Choosing the wrong study resources is another common mistake many class 10 students make. Relying on too many reference books or outdated resources can lead to confusion and wasted effort. This approach leads to missing out on critical concepts, which affects candidates’ accuracy and speed in the actual exam.
Solution: Students should use only the latest study materials that follow the revised official class 10 syllabus, such as NCERT textbooks. For additional practice, students should choose a few trusted reference books recommended by teachers or mentors.
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Inefficient Time Management
One of the most common mistakes class 10 students make is failing to manage their study time effectively. Many students tend to spend excessive time on topics they find comfortable, which prevents them from giving sufficient time to challenging topics. This approach often results in incomplete syllabus coverage and last-minute stress, which ultimately affects their exam performance. Poor time management can also prevent students from dedicating time to revision or practice.
Solution: Candidates should create a balanced study schedule that allows them to give attention to difficult subjects alongside easier ones. Students should also divide their syllabus into manageable chunks based on topic weightage and difficulty level.
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Skipping Regular Revision
Another mistake students make in class 10 preparation is neglecting revision, which can lead to forgetfulness and confusion during the exam. Merely reading chapters once is not enough to retain information effectively. Without consistent revision, even well-prepared students can struggle to recall key concepts during the exam.
Solution: Set aside dedicated time each week to revise covered topics. To improve revision, students should use tools like flashcards, summary notes, and mind maps. Students should also regularly attempt mock tests and solve previous years' question papers to familiarise themselves with the exam pattern and improve their time management skills.
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Last-Minute Cramming
Many students aim to mug up multiple concepts a few days before the exam. This practice usually leads to confusion and difficulty in recalling key details during the exam. Additionally. It overburdens students’ brains and increases anxiety.
Solution: Instead of covering the entire syllabus in the final preparation phase, students should break their study sessions into smaller, manageable sections spread over weeks or months. This approach allows for better retention and deeper understanding.
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No Reading Questions Properly
Rushing into writing answers without carefully reading the questions is a common reason for making mistakes during the exam and practice sessions. Although it is essential to increase problem-solving speed during class 10 preparation, students should not ignore the importance of understanding the question.
Solution: Take a few minutes to carefully read the entire question paper before writing the answer. This practice is helpful in identifying and answering easier questions at the beginning of the exam. Additionally, students can effectively manage their time by following this approach.
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Unclear Conceptual Understanding
Some students struggle to gain a clear understanding of a concept, but they hesitate to seek help from experts. This practice leads to gaps in understanding topics, which affect performance during the exam. Thus, ignoring the weak areas during the preparation phase can significantly impact one’s overall score.
Solution: If students find a topic challenging, they must reach out to their mentor or teachers for clarification. Additionally, they should regularly discuss difficult concepts with peers or join study groups for collaborative learning.
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Neglecting Mock Tests
Students often ignore taking the class 10 full-length mock tests, which significantly affect their exam preparation. These practice tests are based on the actual board exam environment. Thus, taking these tests can help students build stamina, improve time management, and identify weak areas. By skipping mock tests, students miss the chance to understand the exam pattern and set an exam-taking strategy for completing the exam within the allocated exam duration.
Solution: Dedicate time to practise time-bound class 10 mock tests. After completing the mock test, students should analyse their answers to find the challenging areas and streamline their preparation strategy.
Mistakes Class 10 Students Must Avoid FAQs
Q1. How to score 95 %+ in class 10?
Ans. To score 95%+ in class 10, students should cover all the topics presented in the revised syllabus, solve PYPs and sample papers, set strategic study plans, and regularly revise covered topics.
Q2. What is the most common mistake students make?
Ans. The most common mistake students make during class 10 exam preparation is procrastination in covering topics and not following a strategic study plan.
Q3. How many hours should I study for class 10?
Ans. Students should study nearly 5-7 hours to strengthen their class 10 board exam preparation.
Q4. How can I improve speed and accuracy during class 10 preparation?
Ans. Students can improve speed and accuracy during class 10 preparation by solving sample papers and mock tests on a regular basis. While practicing with these resources, students must keep track of the time and aim to complete the questions within a specified deadline.
Q5. How to effectively manage time during class 10 exam?
Ans. To effectively manage time during the class 10 exam, students should aim to solve the easier questions early. This way, they can save time for the challenging questions.
