PAU Technical Drawing II (Castilla y León) exam-day guide
PAU Technical Drawing II (Castilla y León) · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Official ID document
Bring the identity document required for access to the exam room (typically DNI, passport, or equivalent). Confirm with the provider which documents are accepted and whether a photocopy is valid; if unsure, carry the original.
Exam call/session confirmation
Print or download your individual call document (citación) showing date, time, room, and any assigned seat or group. Verify the exact address and building on the official PAU calendar for Castilla y León. Confirm with the provider if your document lacks a room assignment.
Approved drawing instruments
Bring a compass with spare leads and needle, two set squares (45° and 30-60°), a 30 cm ruler, a protractor, an eraser, a pencil sharpener, and pencils of at least two hardnesses (e.g., HB for construction, 2H for fine lines). Check the current call's instructions for any banned instruments; confirm with the provider if the list is not published.
Pen types permitted by the instructions
Technical drawing exams often require ink for final outlines and pencil for construction lines. Bring a fine black fineliner and a medium black pen, plus a spare. Confirm with the provider whether only black ink is allowed and whether correction fluid is prohibited.
Non-programmable calculator (if permitted)
Check the cover page of the exam and the official call for whether calculators are allowed in Dibujo Técnico II. If allowed, use a non-programmable, non-graphing model with cleared memory. Confirm with the provider before relying on it.
Spare drawing media and eraser
Carry spare leads, a soft vinyl eraser that does not smudge ink, and a clean erasing shield if you use one. Loose graphite and eraser crumbs damage line quality; keep a small cloth or tissue.
Watch or simple timer
A non-smart analog or basic digital watch helps you allocate time across options. Smartwatches and phones are usually not permitted at the desk; confirm with the provider.
Clear water bottle and light snack
Sessions can be long and rooms may be warm. Bring a transparent bottle with no label and a small snack for the break between exams, if your session includes more than one paper.
Review the exam structure and scoring
Know in advance how many questions or options the paper offers, whether there is a choice between alternatives, and how each block is weighted. Base this on the official model published for your call; confirm with the provider if the structure has changed.
Planned time budget per section
Write a simple allocation on scratch paper at the start: reading and planning, construction work, inking/clean-up, and final review. Leave at least 10 minutes to check labels, line weights, and that every required element is present.
Practice sheets with standard constructions
In the last days, redraw from memory the core constructions: tangencies, conic sections, dihedral projections, axonometric scales, and standardised dimensioning. Speed comes from repetition, not from new theory.
Scratch paper and rough-sketch space
Use the margins or the space allowed by the instructions for preliminary sketches before committing to ink. Do not write outside the designated answer areas if the paper is scanned for marking.
Plan the day
Stop learning new topics. Do two or three full timed papers or official models under exam conditions, using only the instruments you will bring. Mark your own work against the published criteria, list recurring errors (line weight, missing labels, scale mistakes, incomplete auxiliary views), and drill only those. Re-read the official instructions on permitted materials and exam structure, and confirm with the provider any point that is unclear, such as calculator use or allowed pen colours.
Prepare the instrument case and check every item: compass needle secure, leads of the right diameter, set squares clean and unbroken, ruler markings legible, pens not dry. Pack ID, call document, water, and snack. Rehearse the time budget you will use. Sleep a full night; do not attempt a new full paper the evening before. Glance at a one-page summary of formulas and construction steps, then stop.
Eat properly and arrive at the building well before the call time, allowing margin for transport and for finding the room. Keep the instrument case closed and organised so nothing is lost at the door. Before entering, remind yourself of the plan: read the whole paper first, choose options deliberately, and start with the section you handle most confidently.
Read all instructions and the full set of questions before drawing anything. Note which questions are optional and which are compulsory, and confirm the total marks and any penalty for wrong answers. Write your time budget on scratch paper. Choose your options now, not halfway through, and check that the paper has all its pages.
Work in a fixed order: construction lines first in light pencil, then verify the geometry, then ink outlines and lettering. Keep auxiliary lines faint and final lines firm and consistent. Label every required point, angle, and view. If a construction goes wrong, erase cleanly rather than drawing over it. Watch the clock at the halfway mark and adjust: secure the marks you can complete rather than perfecting one question and leaving another blank.
Stop new construction. Check that every answer is in the correct place, that scales and units are stated, that views are aligned and labelled, and that no question is unanswered. Verify your name and details on the answer sheet. Hand in only when the invigilator indicates.
Rules to check
Carry the official ID required for access and keep it visible on the desk; confirm with the provider which documents are accepted and what to do if yours is lost or expired.
Arrive before the call time. Late-entry cut-offs and the treatment of candidates arriving after the start are set by the organising body; confirm with the provider rather than assuming a grace period.
Bring only materials permitted for this subject. Phones, smartwatches, and any connected device must be switched off and stored as instructed; using them during the exam is normally treated as serious misconduct.
Follow invigilator instructions on seating, answer-sheet completion, and leaving the room. Toilet breaks and early departure are usually restricted; confirm with the provider what applies in your session.
Write only in the designated answer areas and in the permitted ink or pencil. Do not remove exam papers, answer sheets, or rough work unless explicitly allowed.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the exam, and do not share instruments if doing so requires passing items across desks without permission.
Scoring follows the official marking criteria for the subject, including partial credit for correct construction steps. Show construction lines and reasoning, because a correct final result without visible method may lose marks.
If you believe there is an error in a question, state your interpretation briefly on the answer sheet and proceed; formal appeals follow the procedure published by the organising body. Confirm with the provider how incidents are recorded.