Concours de Recrutement PNH exam-day guide
Concours de Recrutement PNH · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Convocation / lettre de convocation
Print the convocation you received when registering and check the exact address, room, and reporting time. If you never received one, or the details are ambiguous, confirm with the provider before travelling.
Pièce d'identité valide (original)
Bring the original identity document whose number you used at registration (national ID card or passport). A photocopy is normally refused. Confirm with the provider which documents are accepted and whether an expired document is tolerated.
Several copies of the convocation and ID
Keep one spare photocopy of each in a separate pocket in case an original is requested for a signature sheet or a document is misplaced.
Black ballpoint pens (at least two)
Most answer sheets must be filled in ink, not pencil. Bring two identical black pens plus a spare refill so a failing pen does not cost you minutes.
Pencil, eraser, and small sharpener
Useful for rough work and for any grid that must be filled in pencil. Check on the day whether scratch paper is provided or whether you must write in the margins.
Simple non-programmable watch
Rooms do not always have a visible clock and phones are usually collected or switched off. A plain analogue watch lets you pace the sections yourself.
Water bottle and a small snack
Long sittings drain concentration. Clear labels off the bottle if the room rules require it, and keep the snack for after the test unless breaks are announced.
No phone, connected watch, or earpiece in the room
Leave them switched off in your bag at the back of the room, or hand them in if instructed. A device that vibrates during the test can be treated as a breach of conduct.
Transport plan and backup route
Rehearse the route the day before and add a 30–45 minute buffer for traffic, queues at the entrance, and identity checks. Aim to arrive well before the reporting time.
Know the paper structure in advance
Write down the number of questions, the time allowed, and whether wrong answers are penalised. Confirm the scoring rule with the provider if it is not stated in the convocation.
Medical certificate or accommodation request
If you need extra time or a separate room, the request is normally made well before the exam date, not on the day. Confirm with the provider what evidence and deadline apply.
Rest and logistics the night before
Sleep, eat a normal breakfast, and avoid last-minute cramming of new material. Bring nothing that the convocation does not authorise; ask at the entrance if a permitted item is unclear.
Plan the day
Re-read the convocation and note the address, room, reporting time, and the list of authorised and forbidden items. Check the identity document is valid and stored in a place you will not forget. Print the convocation if you only have it on a phone.
Do one timed full-length paper under exam conditions, then review only your error patterns. Stop learning new content after this point; consolidate what you already know.
Travel the route at roughly the same time of day as the exam, or check the transport schedule and parking options. Identify a nearby place to sit and eat between arrival and the doors opening.
Pack the bag: convocation, ID, two black pens, pencil, eraser, watch, water, snack, and any authorised document. Lay out clothes. Set two alarms and a backup on another device.
Do a light review of formulas, definitions, and the method for each question type, then stop early. Eat a normal meal, avoid alcohol, and go to bed at your usual time rather than much earlier.
Eat a real breakfast and arrive at the centre with a large buffer. Present the convocation and original ID at the entrance, follow signage to your room, and sit where your name or number places you.
Switch off the phone and put it away as instructed. Check the answer sheet is for the right paper and session, write your identifying details exactly as on your ID, and read the instructions on the front page.
Count the pages, confirm the number of questions and the time limit, and note whether wrong answers are penalised. Skim all questions once and mark the ones you can answer quickly.
Work in passes: answer the easy questions first, flag the hard ones, then return to them. Keep an eye on the watch and leave 5–10 minutes to transfer answers and check that no line is blank by accident.
Make sure every intended answer is recorded in the right place, the identifying details are complete, and nothing has been left on the desk. Stop writing immediately when told.
Hand in the answer sheet and any materials as instructed, keep the convocation for the results stage, and note the date and channel for results publication. Confirm with the provider how results and appeals are handled.
Rules to check
Bring the original identity document matching your registration. If the name or document number differs, raise it with the provider before the exam date; a mismatch can lead to exclusion from the room.
Arrive before the reporting time. Late admission is at the discretion of the exam centre and is often refused once the test has started; confirm with the provider what lateness is tolerated.
Phones, connected watches, earpieces, and any other communication device must be switched off and stored out of reach. Using one during the test is normally treated as cheating and can void your paper.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the test, do not look at another answer sheet, and do not bring unauthorised notes or printed material into the room. Follow the invigilator's instructions on what may stay on the desk.
Breaks are usually not permitted during a single continuous paper. If you need to leave the room, raise your hand and expect to be accompanied; confirm with the provider whether any break is scheduled for the paper you are sitting.
Scoring rules, including whether wrong answers are penalised and how ties are broken, are set by the provider. Read the instructions on the paper and confirm any unclear rule with the provider rather than assuming.
Only write in the spaces and on the answer sheet provided. Answers written outside the designated areas or on unauthorised paper may not be marked.
Follow the invigilator's timing signals absolutely: stop writing when instructed, and hand in all materials before leaving. Keep the convocation for the results and appeal stages.