State Board Commerce (XI-XII) - Test Papers
How to Prepare for CA CPT in the Last 10 Days
If you have landed here believing that you can crack CA CPT by studying for it in the last 10 days then upfront it should be stated it is highly unlikely. It would be very unfortunate if you haven’t even started preparing for the CA CPT Exam. But read on maybe you will still be able to get some direction. This article assumes that you should have completed your syllabus by now and need last minute planning as the exam date comes near.
Negative Marking
Always remember that the exam has negative marking and if you answer incorrectly your marks will be cut. You may end up losing more marks then gaining if you resort to guess work in the exam. Therefore, please answer only if you are confident of the answer.
Important Tip:
Try solving as many questions as possible in each subject and brush up the theory. Attempting a Test Series from any institute will be a good idea.
Fundamentals of Accounting
The most scoring section of CPT Exam is Fundamentals of Accounting. If your accounting knowledge is good then chances of cracking the exam are very high. However, it needs practice. Try to solve as many questions of accounts as you can as the date of the exam approaches. Also remember to go through the theory part of it.
Mercantile Law
Mercantile Law has three acts. Indian Contract Act and Sale Of Goods Act are considered important. Practice solving as many MCQs as possible. Do not miss out on any of the laws, definitions and any topics. This subject too is considered scoring.
Maths
Probably the most intimidating subject for CPT. Practiced as many MCQs as possible. Practice the easy sums and work your way to the complicated ones. Integration and differentiation are also important in statics, and you should not miss out on that.
Economics
Make flash cards or record your own voice while reading the stats out loud. So that you can refer to them whenever you have the time. Since you have to memorize all the data. In case you do not remember anything here during the exam please leave un-attempted to avoid negative marking.
Macro-economics is considered to be a good scoring subject so prepare Macro Economics prior to other sections.
Quantitative Aptitude
The trickiest section of the examination that need dedication and continuous practise. The questions will be asked from Ratio and proportion, Indices, Logarithms, Inequalities, Equations, Permutations and Combinations, Sets, Functions and Relations, Arithmetic and geometric progressions, Correlation and Regression and more.
CA CPT Exam Pattern
The exam contains 200 questions from four subjects i.e. Accounting, Mercantile Laws, General Economics and Quantitative Aptitude. The total marks are 200 marks and you have to solve maximum number of questions in just 2 hours.
| Sections | Subjects | Maximum Marks | Minimum Marks to be attained to qualify |
| 1 | Fundamentals of Accounting | 60 | 18 |
| 2 | Mercantile Laws | 40 | 12 |
| 3 | General Economics | 50 | 15 |
| 4 | Quantitative Aptitude | 50 | 15 |
| Total | 200 | 100 |
Note– Candidates are required to secure a minimum of 30% marks in every section and an aggregate of 50% marks in all four sections to qualify the Common Proficiency Test.
Maharashtra SSC Board
One of the largest state boards in the country, the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education is responsible for coming up with rules and regulations pertaining to the conduct of Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations and implementation of the same.
Firm on its principles
The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education was one of the first state boards that were set up in the country way back in 1966. Back then it was known as the Maharashtra State Secondary Education Boards. While it is exemplary to note that the board has never shunned away from its core values of unbiased integrity and punctuality, it has adapted itself to the changing times. The dynamic and up-to-date syllabus of the board is a testimony of that. Even today, June marks the beginning of an educational year in Maharashtra whereas March signifies the end.
With the head held high
With the passing time, the students are getting a wide array of options to choose from when it comes to getting their board certification. This includes both national as well as international boards. However, the Maharashtra SSC board has stood every test of time. Even today, most institutions consider the result in this exam as a prerequisite while allocating academic streams. As per the latest rules, a candidate has to obtain a minimum of 35 percent in the examination to be eligible for higher studies in any discipline. This includes both theoretical and practical knowledge in papers pertaining to various sciences, arts and other selected subjects.
What sets it apart?
One of the most student-friendly boards in the country, the students writing the SSC exams in Maharashtra have a very good pass percentage. In the year 2015, the figures reached a whopping 91.46%. With a steady growth, the year 2017 marked an all-time high in the overall number of candidates taking the exam.
Another feather to the kitty here is the fact that the exam results are declared with praiseworthy precision in very less time and can be checked out at their Official website. As the exams are conducted twice every year, the students can take the same without facing undue harassment by the board authorities. If every education board of the country adopts the same measures as that of the Maharashtra SSC board, education in the country will not just be much more convenient, but literacy rate will also shoot up in the near future.
Maharashtra HSC Board
Established way back in 1965, today the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education is one of the most popular state boards in the country.
A walk down the lane of history
Originally established as the Maharashtra State Education Board in the year 1966, it was later changed by Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education. With its headquarters in Pune, as of now, it has a very high enrollment rate, ranking second only after the CBSE.
Setting a strong foundation
One factor that sets the Maharashtra HSC Board above all other state boards is the fact that it indulges in frequent updating of curriculum across grades. The holistic learning approach that is introduced by the board ensures that the student learns more than mere rote learning. That is why the rules set out by the board are never tampered with and there is strict adherence to rules and regulations.
Growing through the years
The board is pretty prompt with matters pertaining to conduction of exams and declaration of results. Exams are conducted twice every year in the months of March and October. The results for the same are declared in the months of June and January. It is interesting to note that very few students opt for reevaluation of papers in the Maharashtra HSC Board. Among those who do, marks are usually not altered beyond plus or minus 5 marks, thereby proving the credibility of the unbiased marking scheme of the board.
The building blocks
The Maharashtra HSC Board comprises of eight divisional boards which come together to form the state board. With the primary duty of deciding which school or college will conduct the final exams, all such divisional boards work hand in hand to ensure smooth and flawless exams for the 1,400, Higher Secondary Certificate ( HSC ) exams every year. Located in Amravati, Aurangabad, Kolhapur, Konkan, Latur, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nashik, and Pune, the nine divisional boards decide whom to appoint as the paper setter or translator. The board has English and Marathi as the official languages and conducts examinations in both the medium. It also decides upon who will have custody of all the question papers and other confidential documents and who will transport and same. The careful decision of who will hold the coveted designation of checking the papers will also be decided upon by the divisional board.
5 Tips for Answering Multiple Choice Questions Easily
Since most of the entrance exam patterns give you Multiple Choice Questions, you need some tips for answering Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs). While some of the questions are real easy, some of them are designed to confuse you, with similar options. Writing essay questions are easier when you know the answer, but MCQs are the challenging part. Given below are some ways you can ace your MCQ exam. These simple tips will make your life much easier in a lot of ways.
1. Scan the entire question paper first
As soon as your test begins, do not jump into solving the first question. Do a quick scan of the entire question paper first. While scanning the questions, you can go ahead and tick the answers of questions that are really easy for you and you are extremely confident about their answers. This scan also primes you brain with a general idea of the whole question paper and it sub-consciously starts working on the difficult questions in the background. Thus, your brain will get more time to help you solve those difficult questions later.
2. Re-visit a difficult question later
If you are finding one particular question difficult and having a tough time solving it, then do not waste too much time on it initially. Feel free to jump to an easy question mid-way and re-visit the tough question. This is not only a time management technique, but also lets the sub-conscious zone of the brain process the difficult question in the mean time. So, the second time you re-visit the question, chances will be high that you get it right than the first attempt.
3. Re-read the questions twice
Take extra care to read each question twice before attempting to answer them. Sometimes, the MCQ questions are set in a very tricky way so that you may overlook certain words. Re-reading it will avoid making any such errors. For example: Some questions are phrased in a negative way like, “Which of these statements were ‘not’ made by the author?” Most students just tend to scan the question in a hurry and ignore the word ‘not’ in the question and end up understanding the question entirely wrong.
4. Try the elimination technique
If you do not remember the correct answer to any MCQ question, then go for the elimination method to single-out the correct answer. This technique is always better than making a blind guess. Read the question carefully first and take all the options into account. Now, start by eliminating the options that you know for sure are wrong. This might lead you to your correct answer at the end of it.
How to use a simple method to remember everything you learn
5. Keep track of time
Last but not the least, it is very important to watch time when you take any MCQ test. Wasting too much time on a few questions might cost you precious time during which you could have got the easy questions right. So, plan your test time distribution well and make the most of your time.
Now that you know these tips for answering Multiple Choice Questions you are now better prepared to ace MCQs even you are presented with a surprise test. Best of Luck.
Defining Your Fears instead of Your Goals
Face your Fears
To overcome your fear, you must know of them first. Defining your fears is very important before you plan to get rid of them. Remember, your fears will always get in your way, if you do not even try to overcome them. The very next step would be to attempt to face your fears over and over again. This is one way how people have actually taken-over charge of their fears. Repetitive attempts always have more probability of achieving success than single attempts. Your fears can only be handled by you alone, no matter how much counseling you seek outside.
Fear Setting
Most times, we just imagine the worst case scenario in any situation due to our fears and this stops us from taking the necessary action. However, imagination is not reality and reality might just turn out quite pleasantly different. Thus comes the need of “Fear setting”, which is just like “Goal Setting”. Fear setting is an exercise that one must undertake to give oneself a reality check. For example: If you are avoiding the engineering stream because of your fear of Mathematics, then your goals in life might get upset. Also, you might curse yourself in the future for taking this wrong decision instead of nipping your fears in the bud.
What if you Fail?
When you define your fears you must also chalk out a remedy for them. You should never get discouraged in taking any sensible decision because of your fears. If you never attempt to overcome your fears, you are giving-in to your weaknesses. To come out stronger in life, you need to turn your fears into your strengths. Even if you get a partial successful result because of your attempt, it would be worth a try. For defining your fears, you must list down your fears in one column. The other two columns would be for “what if you fail” and “what if you pass”. This way you can weigh the pros and cons of both imaginary success and failure and make a conscious decision. This exercise will also help clear your mind and help you control your fears if not overcoming them at once.
Making the Hard Choice
Everyone tends to go for easy choices in life, but it`s the hard ones that prove better in future. Easy choices, the ones without facing your fears might give you short-term satisfaction. In the long term rewards come only from the hard choices in life. Successful people always preach this since they have learned this in their own journey towards success.
Remember, that your goals must not take a back seat because of your fears or hardships. Be a warrior and knock out your fears in the arena of life and you will definitely come out as a winner. People who are scared and refuse to define their fears will never know if their lives would have taken a different turn altogether, had they faced their fears.
Read: Common Myths and Misconceptions About Learning Debunked
