You probably stumbled upon this article because you are stressed about your upcoming HSC board exam, unsure how to proceed, or worried you’re not doing something right.

To be honest, getting 85% and above is difficult, because state boards are notoriously known for demanding long explanations and giving fewer marks than other Indian boards.

But don’t worry. Focusing on the right material, planning  your schedule and practising past papers will help you reach your goal.

Not from HSC but another state board? Don’t worry, this article will still help you.

How to ace the HSC?

When I was preparing for my board examinations, I was curious and searched up the statistics about how many people scored above 90%.

In 2024, only 8,000 students out of the 14 lakh achieved that score. Trust me, I was also shocked.

Before you even start your studying journey, setting the expectations is important. You must start from the ground-up.

Setting the expectations:

Before you get all excited about that “85%,” let’s set realistic expectations.

11th grade:

If you’re in 11th grade, relax and just focus on being consistent and building a strong base. Remember that the syllabus for 11th and 12th is different.

Work on concepts. Understand everything happening in school. Don’t stress over the final exams yet, keep putting in the hard-work and things will work out.

12th grade:

If you’re in a proper school, just study according to your class schedule. This includes end of chapter Q&A’s, practice PYQ’s, keep your practical notebook up to date, and gain a thorough understanding of chapters during class. If you’re stuck, watch Youtube lectures for further clarity.

Prep-school:

If you’re in a prep-school (JEE/NEET preparation) – rely on Youtube for video lectures and prioritize PYQ’s since questions are often recycled.

If exams are 3 months or less away- Don’t panic. You can still score a 75-85% if you manage your time well.

I’d suggest watching “one shot” video lectures because they cover almost all the content in a shorter time frame, and don’t forget to do your PYQ’S.

Pro tip – You need to do past paper questions:
This is the most important thing you need to be dedicating time and energy towards, no matter what grade you’re in

How to maximise your study sessions:

Now that we have the expectations set, let’s turn those dreams into a reality.

Eliminate distractions:

You might be reluctant, but TRUST me, switch that phone off, put it in another room or give it to your parents while you study. This was a game-changer for me. I noticed that the same study session which lasted 8 hours, I managed to finish in 6 hours.

This is perhaps one of the toughest things to do on this list. Minimising distractions is difficult, but with the right tools, it’s a walk in the park. Read this article, we got you covered!

Time yourself:

To maximise efficiency, I timed myself because I wanted to find my saturation point, when the ideal times to take breaks were.

Time yourself when doing exam questions too. When you study, act like you’re in an exam situation. This will make the actual exams way less stressful.

Create a daily schedule:

AVOID aimlessly picking up random textbooks. Try to ensure you cover enough material and with varying difficulty levels as I found it too “heavy” to complete multiple difficult topics on the same day, while ensuring I don’t suffer a burnout (don’t make it unreasonable, because that will just stress you out).

Create a schedule of the chapters you will study each day. This is as simple as just making a list.

If you are unsure as to how to make an effective study timetable, I highly recommend reading this article. This is one of the most important steps, so don’t be lazy and skip it.

What is the ideal time for each study session?

Always remember to study smarter and not harder. Focus on one task at a time, and don’t worry unnecessarily.

Weekdays (after classes): Aim for a 3-4 hour study session (if you’re not under a time crunch)

Weekends: I know no one wants to open their textbooks on a weekend but target a 6 hour study session. Trust me, being consistent will keep you calm and stress-free during the boards.

DON’T be harsh on yourself: If you planned for a longer study session and managed something lesser, it’s OKAY as long as you understood the material you went through.

Finding time is difficult. Don’t worry though, we have an article on how to be better at time management to help you with just that. At Student Expresso, you will find everything you need to help you get the top grade!

Create a balance between studies and hobbies: is there that one hobby you’re really passionate about? Don’t leave it- that is what keeps you motivated and gives you some “me” time. I NEVER skipped my music lessons during exam prep.

When to increase study hours?

Simple answer: A few weeks before pre-boards.

This is the best time to put in the extra hours. Pre-boards help you experience the “tension” of actual boards and helps you prepare under pressure, sort of “forcing” you to prepare under a time constraint.

During study breaks: Use this time granted by your school to attempt 8+ hour sessions. The more material you cover in these periods, the better.

Practical exam period: Don’t leave theory learning to this period because practical exams are EXHAUSTING. You will not have any energy to focus and learn.

Pro tip: It may seem that such long hours are difficult to pull. They are, if you’re unorganised. If you have a good plan in place (like I mentioned before), this becomes much easier.

Disappointed with your pre-board scores?

DO NOT lose hope, you still have time to fix your mistakes and ignore the people boasting about their marks. Frankly, even I didn’t do great in my pre-boards.

These tests are designed to give you a reality check and showcase your weaknesses. I was extremely stressed because my board scores determined my foreign university admission. (Indian universities also have thresholds, but they are generally around 75% or lower)

When you receive your corrected answer script, analyse the mistakes. Why did you get low marks?

Revise the topics you seem to have completely blanked out on when you sat for the examination, and focus on revising the rote learning part of your subjects for maximum retention.

What about leaving stuff out?

If you have time to complete the entire portion, please do so. You don’t know what topic might crop up in the exam.

However, I do believe in quality over quantity. For instance, as a science student I focused on mastering a few key organic chemistry reactions instead of rushing through all of them.

If you are less on time, prioritize the topics with the most weightage, and that stays basically the same every year. YES, you can find the exact mark distribution online.

Don’t get “influenced”:

Study in a way that suits YOU. Each and EVERY person is different when it comes to studying and following someone else’s routine will not guarantee you good results.

Even this article might not work perfectly either for you, but this is a good base for normal students (like me!).

You can simply be inspired to build up on this advice and customise it based on your preferences.

Final thoughts:

Obviously, board exams are challenging but not the end of the world. So, if things don’t go as planned, remember that life has bigger challenges ahead.

Use this experience as a stepping stone to grow stronger and more capable, moving in the right direction. And on a lighter note, GOOD LUCK! You’ll ace it <3