CAAB ATPL Theory exam-day guide
CAAB ATPL Theory · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Exam confirmation / admit letter
Print the appointment or admit document issued by CAAB licensing (or your authorised exam centre) and keep a paper copy with you. Verify the exam sitting code (e.g. which subject paper) and the venue on the document, not from memory.
Valid photo ID
Bring the ID that matches the name and number on your exam application - normally a valid passport or national ID card. If your licence/application was filed under a different name spelling, confirm with the provider in advance which document is acceptable.
Passport-size photographs
Carry two recent photographs in case the centre needs them for the attendance sheet or licence file. Confirm the required size and background with the provider; requirements vary.
Fee payment receipt
Bring proof of the exam fee payment for the sitting, in case the centre's records do not show it. Confirm the accepted payment evidence with the provider.
Non-programmable calculator
A basic scientific calculator with no memory, no programmable functions, no unit conversions and no communications. Check the permitted calculator policy with the provider before the exam day - some centres supply or ban calculators outright.
Pens, pencils, eraser, sharpener
Bring at least two blue or black ballpoint pens plus a pencil and eraser for any machine-readable answer sheet. Do not rely on the centre supplying stationery.
Plain analogue watch
A simple non-smart watch so you can pace yourself if the room clock is not visible from your seat. Smart watches and any device with connectivity are normally prohibited.
Clear water bottle and a light snack
Stay hydrated and eat something small between papers if you are sitting more than one subject in a day. Confirm whether drinks are allowed at the desk in the exam room.
Route and timing plan to the venue
Rehearse the journey to the exam centre and plan to arrive well before the reporting time. Traffic in Dhaka and other cities is unpredictable; a buffer is not wasted time.
Subject summary sheets (for pre-entry reading only)
Bring your own condensed notes for last-minute review outside the exam room, then stow them - notes, textbooks and phones must not enter the exam hall.
Phone switched off and bagged
Plan to leave your phone powered off in your bag or in the designated storage area. Assume any device on your person during the exam may be treated as a conduct issue.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Review your error log and the weak topics flagged by your practice papers, and re-work the questions you got wrong rather than re-reading whole manuals.
Take one full-length practice paper per remaining subject under timed conditions, using the same calculator and answer-sheet discipline you will use in the real exam.
Re-check the logistics: exact venue, reporting time, subject order, and the ID and documents you must present. Confirm anything unclear with the provider now, not on the morning.
Write out from memory the key data you must hold cold - standard formulas, unit conversions, and the definitions that questions habitually hinge on - then check them against your notes.
Do a light pass only: formulas, memory items, and a handful of confidence-building questions. No new topics, no marathon sessions.
Pack the bag now: confirmation document, ID, photographs, fee receipt, calculator, pens, pencil, eraser, watch, water. Leave it by the door.
Confirm your transport plan and an alternative route, and set two alarms plus a backup. Aim for a normal night's sleep rather than last-minute cramming.
Eat a proper breakfast, dress comfortably in layers, and leave earlier than your plan says. Arrive at the venue with a generous margin before the reporting time.
Do a short 20–30 minute review of your summary sheets outside the hall - active recall of formulas, not fresh reading. Then put the notes away.
Follow the centre's registration and seating process, present your ID when asked, and check that your answer sheet and question paper carry the correct subject code and your details.
Read the instructions on the cover and check the number of questions and the time allowed before you start. Note the time at which you must stop.
Work in passes: answer the questions you know first, mark the doubtful ones, then return to them. Never leave a blank if the paper has no negative marking - confirm the marking rule before the exam.
Budget roughly a minute per question and check your pace against the clock at the one-third and two-thirds marks. Transfer answers to the answer sheet as you go, or in planned batches, and keep the numbering aligned.
For calculation questions, write the formula first, substitute with units, and sanity-check the magnitude of the answer. Show working on the question paper so you can revisit it quickly.
Leave the final minutes to verify that every question has an answer and that the answer sheet details are complete. Stop writing immediately when instructed.
Rules to check
Bring and present the photo ID that matches your exam application exactly. If your name or document type differs from the application, resolve it with the provider before exam day; a mismatch can bar you from sitting.
Electronic devices - phones, smart watches, earpieces, programmable calculators, any device with memory or connectivity - must be switched off and stored away from your desk. Assume a device found on your person during the exam will be treated as a conduct breach.
Only approved materials are permitted at the desk: ID, writing instruments, eraser, permitted calculator and any items the centre explicitly allows. Do not bring notes, textbooks, charts or loose paper into the hall.
Raise your hand and wait for an invigilator if you need to leave your seat, need materials replaced, or believe there is an error in the paper. Do not communicate with other candidates at any point during the sitting.
Follow the centre's rules on breaks: confirm in advance whether supervised breaks are allowed and what happens to the clock if you leave the room. Do not assume extra time is granted for a break.
Check the marking scheme before you start - whether wrong answers attract a penalty, and whether all questions carry equal marks. This determines whether you should guess on questions you cannot resolve. Confirm with the provider if it is not stated on the paper.
Use only the time allowed. Writing after the stop instruction, or continuing after your answer sheet has been collected, is normally treated as a conduct issue regardless of how few marks are at stake.
If you believe something affected your performance - a disturbance, a faulty seat, a misprinted paper - report it to the invigilator at the time and note the details afterwards. Ask the provider how and by when such reports must be filed.