Excerpts from the book ‘Exam Warriors’ by PM Narendra Modiji.

 

Thorough revision is both necessary and helpful. Sharpens what you have learnt and also helps recall concepts systematically and easily.

 

In your day-to-day lives, the habit of being organized about ‘small’ things such as keeping your school bag, shoes and uniform in their proper places not only helps in retrieving them later but also trains the mind to be methodical. This training of the mind will help to systematically store information and retrieve it.

 

Whenever you are studying, identify the topics where pre-exam revision will be essential.

 

There are multiple ways to revise and recall concepts with ease.

 

Writing down the key points is a good way to revise.

 

Some young friends might like to use mind mapping to organize what they have learnt. Some may make attractive short forms, acronyms and formulas. Recall haw you remembered the colours of the rainbow with the word ‘VIBGYOR’.

 

Debating and discussing particular topics may be a useful tool for revision. Back in the day, when I held organizational responsibilities in my political party, we would divide ourselves into different teams (some would act like opposition spokespersons), each of which would approach an issue through a different prism. This way, we could assess how prepared we were and also understand the areas in which we needed improvement.

 

At times, others can give us substantive feedback on where we are lagging behind. I have another anecdote to share, this one from my schooldays. Being part of a school play, I had to deliver a particular dialogue which, for some reason, I was struggling with. The director of the play got impatient and said he would be unable to direct me if I kept saying the dialogue in that manner.

 

Naturally, I thought I was doing it perfectly, so I found it perplexing that the director would say this about me. The next day, I asked him to act like me and show me what I was doing wrong. In a matter of seconds, I realized where I was going wrong and was able to improve myself.

 

I am told that after the day’s play, sportspersons go back to the drawing board and watch clippings not only of their own game but also that of the opposing team. This helps them improve.

 

There are many more ways of smart revision that can be extremely helpful. Pick the ones that suit you best and keep revising, smartly and regularly.

 

ACTIVITY: Given one the next page is an example of a mind map. Likewise, you can make a mind on a topic of your choice. 

 

When you finish, share it with your Study buddies and also see their 

Mind maps for a fresh perspective

 

Use highlights, symbols,

Codes, arrows for easier

Navigation and understanding 

                       Let there be flow

 

Flow typically is showcased

With thick lines at

The centre and thin 

Lines further out

 

You can draw images

But don’t hold thoughts due

To style. You can tidy later

 

Each point of the idea can 

Be showcased in colour

 

Branches under each point

Can carry the same colour

 

Gather the information

You may need along with

Relevant stationery

 

Write your

Topic/Idea 

In The Centre

 

Use blank sheets in 

Landscape format

 

Use a colourful image or 

symbol to represent the

topic in the centre.

 

2 THINKOF THE MAIN POINTS

RELATED TO THE TOPIC

 

Each point on the idea can

Become a branch of the mind map

 

Keywords of that topic can be

Used to make the branch longer

Start from the 12 o’clock position and

Move clockwise to write the topics.