How should students prepare for Olympiad exams?

-Jayashree Suryakanth Shet

This is a commonly asked question when students register themselves for the Olympiad exams. The International Olympiad was launched with the primary objective of helping students to develop various skills which would be useful for the future. These exams are easily accessible to students from all over the world, inspiring and training them to develop logical reasoning and analytical thinking. These exams are conducted monthly as well as annually.

The Olympiad exams are conducted for the subjects for Mathematics, Science, English, and General Knowledge. These 4 subjects have been given importance as they are covered under the STEM system of education. Students who wish to participate in these exams can register for the same either individually or through their respective schools.

The first step in the preparation of Olympiad exams to thoroughly understand the syllabus to be covered under each subject. The syllabus for the exams is generally the same as that of the school syllabus. However, the same can be gathered from the website as well. It is important to know the various topics that need to be covered in order to devise an effective study plan.

Once they have made themselves aware of the various topics that need to be covered, they should develop an effective study plan. Olympiad exams are considered to be extensively tricky. One cannot expect to crack the exams with one week’s preparation. Students need to start studying early. They should set a timetable and plan out the various topics that they will have to study. Adhering to this study plan is the most crucial step.

Hard work and consistency are the keys to cracking the Olympiad exams. These exams are intended to test conceptual clarity, analytical, critical, and logical reasoning. They generally consist of three Sections, i.e., Subjective, High Order Thinking, and Logical Reasoning. It is important that students focus on all three levels while preparing for these exams.

Students should master the concepts under each subject. These exams are primarily based on an in-depth understanding of the concepts. Students should not hesitate to seek help in order to get their doubts clarified. Students should first ensure that they study the topics from their school textbooks. There are various other books that are recommended as well while preparing for the Olympiad exams. However, ultimately, students should focus on gaining conceptual clarity.

Students should develop a habit of making notes while preparing for the exams. They should note down important definitions, formulae, etc. in order to help them in revision. The syllabus for the Olympiad exams is very extensive and students will not be able to study the entire syllabus one day before the exam. These notes will serve to be effective in the revision of their concepts right before the exams.

In order to understand the pattern of questions, students should ensure that they refer to the previous year's question papers as well as mock tests. Students can utilize the Monthly Olympiad series as an excellent way to prepare for the Annual exams. These Monthly exams allow students to master the concepts studied chapter-wise and apply them to answer tricky questions. Students can take the monthly exams for each subject and thereby improve their overall performance. Since these Olympiad exams also test their logical reasoning and analytical skills, students should practice extensively.

We have also introduced a Practice Test Series which requires students to answer the questions within the allotted time. Time management is in itself an important skill. Students need to ensure that they dedicate enough time to read and understand each question before attempting them. These practice test series help them to learn the art of time management. It reduces the actual pressure students face while attempting the Final exam.

It helps them understand the different level of questions which they may encounter during the Olympiad exams. These Practice test series consist of questions ranging from simple to difficult and push the students to work towards cracking these questions easily. The students will be provided with an Answer key at the end of the Test with a detailed explanation of each answer. This helps them to further improve their understanding of the concepts.

Revision is another crucial step in the preparation for Olympiad exams. Students need to revise their concepts frequently. They should utilize their notes while revising for the exams. Revision of the important concepts helps students to crack the questions easily.

Regular practice is of utmost importance. Students should utilize the Monthly Olympiad exams and practice tests to assess their own performance. They can understand their mistakes and work on them. The key to these exams is constant and continuous training. These Monthly Olympiads also help them to continuously refresh their memory.

In order to emerge as toppers, students should stay updated with all the relevant topics. They should utilize the various digital resources as well as their textbooks to prepare and crack the exams easily. Students need to start early preparation and devote enough time on a daily basis while preparing for the exams. Staying motivated is the most crucial step.

All the Best!