Adjoint Administratif Territorial exam-day guide
Adjoint Administratif Territorial · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Convocation (summons) printed and checked
Verify the date, time, address, and any room or building assignment on your convocation. If you have not received it, contact the organizing centre (centre de gestion or the recruiting authority named on your registration) immediately rather than assuming. Mark as needs_review: the exact wording and issuing body of the convocation vary by concours and by organising centre, so confirm with the provider.
Valid photo ID matching your registration
Bring the identity document whose number you used when registering (national identity card or passport are the usual accepted documents). Check the accepted list on your convocation. needs_review: whether a driving licence or residence permit is accepted depends on the organising centre - confirm with the provider.
Black ballpoint pens (at least two) and a spare
Most answer sheets are completed in black ink and machine-read or hand-marked; a spare pen avoids losing time if one fails. Check whether the convocation specifies a colour.
Pencil, eraser, and small sharpener
Useful for rough work and for any multiple-choice answer grid. Confirm on the convocation whether these are permitted in your room.
Watch (non-connected, silent)
Rooms do not always have a visible clock, and phones must usually be switched off and stored. A simple analogue watch helps you pace the paper. needs_review: confirm whether any watch is allowed in your centre.
No connected devices in the room
Switch off and stow your phone, smartwatch, and any earpiece before entering. Carrying a connected device into the exam room is commonly treated as a serious breach; the exact consequence must be confirmed with the provider.
Transport route and arrival time planned
Work out the journey in advance and aim to arrive well before the doors open. Allow for queues at ID checks. The cut-off time after which entry is refused is set by the organising centre - confirm with the provider.
Water and a light snack for before or after
Long written papers can run several hours. Check whether drinks are allowed at your desk; if not, drink before entering.
Read the paper's instructions and scoring before writing
Note the number of questions, the marks, whether there is a penalty for wrong answers, and whether you must answer all parts. This determines your strategy far more than raw knowledge.
Plan your answer space and timing
For essay or case-study papers, sketch a short plan and allocate minutes per question. For multiple-choice papers, decide in advance how you will handle uncertain items.
Know your candidate number and session details
You will usually write these on the answer sheet. Copy them exactly from the convocation. needs_review: the exact identifiers required vary - confirm with the provider.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Re-read your own summary sheets, the exam syllabus, and the instructions for the paper type (multiple-choice, essay, case study, or oral). Practise one full paper under timed conditions so you know your pace per question. Check the convocation once more for address, time, and permitted equipment, and resolve any doubt with the organising centre while there is still time to get an answer.
Prepare your bag: convocation, ID, pens, pencil, eraser, watch, water. Confirm your transport and set two alarms. Eat normally and sleep; a tired candidate loses more marks on reading errors than on missing facts. Do not attempt a late-night cram of a new topic.
Eat a proper breakfast, leave early, and arrive with margin for ID checks. Switch off your phone before entering the building. Once seated, read the cover page and all instructions before turning to the questions, note the start and end times, and write your candidate details carefully.
First pass: answer the questions you know, marking uncertain ones. Second pass: return to the marked items and reason them out. Keep the last few minutes for checking that every required field is filled, no answer is left blank where blanks are penalised, and your candidate number is correct. For essay papers, keep your plan visible and leave time for a final read-through of spelling and structure.
Rules to check
Bring the convocation and the photo ID that matches your registration; entry may be refused without them. Confirm the accepted ID list with the provider.
Arrive before the doors close. The time after which entry is refused is set by the organising centre, so confirm it with the provider rather than guessing.
Phones and connected devices must be switched off and stored outside the room. The exact sanction for a device found on you must be confirmed with the provider.
Follow the invigilators' instructions on seating, materials, and timing; their directions override your own assumptions about the room.
Breaks and leaving the room during the paper are usually restricted or accompanied; check the rules printed on your convocation and confirm with the provider.
Scoring rules differ by concours: some papers penalise wrong multiple-choice answers, others do not, and some set a minimum mark per paper to proceed. Read the paper's own instructions and confirm the marking rules with the provider.
Write only in the permitted ink and only in the designated answer space; work outside it may not be marked.
Any suspicion of fraud or impersonation is handled under the concours regulations; the applicable procedure must be confirmed with the provider.