IB ACIO Grade II exam-day guide

Your admit card carries the exam date, reporting time, centre address, roll number and any instructions specific to your shift. Download it as soon as it is released and read every line, including the reverse. If your name, category, photo or paper code looks wrong, contact the recruiting body immediately rather than on exam day. Carry a printed copy; do not rely on a phone screenshot.

Centres are often schools or colleges with similar names in the same city. Pin the exact address, check the gate used for candidates, and estimate travel time for the reporting hour, not the exam hour. Do a dry run if the centre is unfamiliar. Plan to arrive well before the reporting time, since gates typically close before the paper starts.

Carry the original government photo ID that matches the details on your application, plus one photocopy. Aadhaar, passport, driving licence, PAN and voter ID are commonly accepted, but the exact list and whether a photocopy is required vary by notification. Confirm the accepted ID list in the official notification or with the provider.

Some notifications ask for two copies, or one copy to be signed and handed to the invigilator. Attach the photograph exactly as instructed (size, signature across it, pasting versus stapling). Follow the notification literally; a self-attested copy is often required.

Carry two or three recent photographs in the specified size and background. They are needed for the admit card, the attendance sheet, or both. Use the same photograph as your application to avoid identity queries.

Many objective papers are OMR-based and require a ballpoint pen of a stated colour; some allow only black. Carry two working pens of the permitted colour. Do not carry correction fluid, gel pens, or any writing instrument the notification does not allow.

A clear bottle is usually permitted; food, tea and coffee generally are not. An analogue watch helps with timing if the hall clock is not visible from your seat. Smart watches, fitness bands and any device with communication capability are almost always banned, so leave them at home. Confirm the permitted-items list with the provider.

Phones, Bluetooth devices, smart watches, calculators, notes, books and bags are typically not allowed inside the hall, and centres often have no secure storage. Travelling light is the safest plan. If you must carry a phone for the journey, check whether the centre provides any deposit facility; do not assume it does.

Many recruitment exams capture a photograph, fingerprint or iris scan at the gate or in the hall. Keep fingers free of henna or ink and arrive early enough for these steps. If you have a medical condition affecting biometric capture, carry documentation and inform staff on arrival.

Know before the exam whether wrong answers carry a penalty, whether there are sectional time limits, and how many questions and marks each section has. This decides your attempt strategy. Details differ by year and paper, so verify them in the current notification and information handout rather than relying on memory.

A normal night's sleep matters more than last-minute revision. Eat a light, familiar breakfast and carry any prescribed medicine you may need, telling the invigilator if you must keep it with you. Avoid experimenting with new food or heavy caffeine on exam morning.

Identify a second route and leave a buffer for traffic, weather or transport delays. Save the centre's location offline and note a contact number for the recruiting body in case of an emergency. Late entry is commonly refused once the gate closes, so the buffer is part of the plan, not an optional extra.