Scan the paper first, never start on the hardest question, and the moment you freeze — skip, mark it, move on. Save your guesses for questions you can shrink with elimination. And never, ever leave a bubble empty.
On this page
The first 5 minutes: scan, don't solve When your mind goes blank Smart elimination when you don't know Why leaving a blank is a crime Practice before the hall Frequently asked questionsThe First 5 Minutes: Scan, Don't Solve
When the signal starts, do not dive into question 1. Flip through the whole paper first.
Note the subject order and spot where the easy marks live. Your goal is an overview, not a solution.
Then mentally re-draw your plan: the 3-pass method — quick English and Computer first, then Chemistry and Physics, then Maths.
When Your Mind Goes Blank
You will hit a question where your brain just buffers. That is normal — it is pressure, not a real gap in your knowledge.
The fix is mechanical: skip immediately, mark the question on the question paper, and come back later.
Freezing on one Physics problem steals the time of three easy ones. Your third pass exists exactly for this.
Smart Elimination When You Don't Know
Not knowing the answer is fine. Guessing blindly is wasteful. Eliminate first, then guess.
- Physics — kill unit-mismatched options. Check dimensions before calculating. An option with the wrong unit is automatically dead, often leaving one or two real choices.
- Maths — plug the options back in. For limits, functions and algebra, substitute each choice into the question. The one that fits is the answer.
- Chemistry & Computer — flag extremes and outliers. The option that looks "too perfect" or sits at the edge is usually a trap. Eliminate it first.
Elimination turns a 1-in-4 coin flip into a 1-in-2 choice. That is a huge edge across 100 questions.
Why Leaving a Blank Is a Crime
There is no negative marking in the TU IOST entrance. A guess has a 1-in-4 chance of scoring. A blank has a 0-in-4 chance.
Fill 100% of the bubbles and you automatically gain on anyone leaving blanks. The pass line is 35 — and blind guessing alone averages around 25.
Guess, move on, and let the 45-second rule protect your clock.
Practice Before the Hall
Panic is hardest to manage in an unfamiliar format. The more timed papers you sit, the calmer exam day feels.
Do a final free mock test and review every answer in the model question solutions. Familiarity is the cheapest confidence you can buy.