CBSE Previous Year’s Question Papers

For a student giving the 10th boards for the first time, it is definitely an anxiety-inducing situation. Although it is given individually, it is full of competition. There may not be a shortcut to preparing for this examination, but being prepared is winning half the battle then and there. To be prepared needs organization and repetition. A student should make a time table and give enough time there to study every subject. However, students don’t realize there is another step after they have completed studying the portion, and that is solving question papers from previous years. 

Solving sample question papers and those from previous years can help students become a little more confident in themselves. The more practice they get, the easier it will be on their nerves during the main test. While no question paper is the same, there are always a number of questions that are repeated. The student can also get an idea of how the question patterns are and what is expected as answers. The board also releases a new set of CBSE sample papers almost every year. This gives students enough of practice solving mock exams.

How to use previous year’s question papers?

Each student has their own way of using these question papers. While one may want to solve the entire paper in one sitting, another may look at it in bits and pieces. Both of these methods have their benefits as the topic-wise approach gives the student an in-depth understanding of the topic and an idea of the important questions from that topic to keep in mind. On the other hand, solving the entire paper at a go gives the students a chance to practice writing an exam. It can also help the students time themselves to ensure that they are able to complete the paper in the allotted three hours. 

Let us look at some of the advantages of solving previous years’ papers.

As the exam date comes closer, the process of revision must get quicker. The student no longer has time to go through every topic in the textbook. Hence solving previous years’ question papers and mock papers is a student’s best bet. The student gets a vague idea of the question pattern and understands which topics are important and need to be focused on.

1. Reduced Stress

Solving papers from previous years is an excellent way of getting rid of any pre-exam stress. Even just the act of referring to the paper and getting to know the question patterns can help a child prepare for it. A student gets to see the kind of questions that are asked here, the distribution of marks, what sort of long answers are asked, and most importantly, which topics are focused on.

2. Helps them prepare

The question paper for the current year may not have the same portion as compared to the previous years. But what it does have is the kind of questions that get asked multiple times, the topics that are repeated throughout the paper, and what kind of questions carry the most marks.

3. It is a reliable source of practice

The phrase “Practice makes perfect” definitely holds true in this case. These question papers are the best source of practice any student can get. Although it is recommended that the student solve at least 5 years of previous question papers, the more the student solves, the more they eliminate the risk of getting an important answer wrong or skipping a topic that is sure to come in the exam. It also helps them with their time management skills. By solving more practice papers, the child will even improve their thinking and writing speed and figure out the technique of writing the paper that suits them best. 

4. They can self evaluate

Solving a question paper of any kind can help them understand their preparedness level. A student must evaluate themselves before the exam. By doing this, the student can learn from their mistakes and restrategize their study plan.

5. It helps them identify their strengths and weaknesses

One significant benefit of practicing previous year question papers is that the student gets an idea of their strengths and weaknesses. By being honest and completing the paper without referring to a book or their notes, the child gets an idea of how well they would do in the real exam. This will help them understand where their drawbacks lie and which topics require more preparation.

6. Makes revision easier

You may have studied the entire syllabus, but it is not possible to revise the whole portion a few days before the exam. In this case, it is best to solve previous years question papers and brush up on the critical topics.

7. Be more confident

Giving an exam is never easy, and with the pressure of your future depending on it, the CBSE Xth exams are even more nerve-racking. Solving papers from previous years can help give you the confidence you need to ace the exams.

One can never be too prepared for an exam, and at the end of the day, you don’t know what can happen in those three hours. All a student can do is their best and let go of the rest. To help our students at Orchids The International School and other students preparing for their Xth CBSE exams, we have posted links to the exam papers from the past five years.