ISRO Scientist Electrical exam-day guide
ISRO Scientist Electrical · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Download and read the current admit card / hall ticket
The ISRO recruitment portal (or the testing agency handling the Scientist/Engineer 'SC' recruitment) issues the admit card before the exam. Download it as soon as it is live, print at least two copies, and read every instruction printed on it. Confirm the exact exam name, date, shift timing, and reporting time shown on your own card rather than relying on third-party notices.
Photo ID matching the admit card
Carry the original photo identification whose number/particulars you entered in the application (commonly Aadhaar, passport, driving licence, PAN, or voter ID). The accepted list and whether photocopies are allowed vary by recruitment cycle - confirm with the provider/admit card instructions. Carry one extra photo ID if you have it.
Passport-size photographs
Carry two or three recent colour photographs matching the one uploaded in the application. Some centres ask for a photo pasted on the attendance sheet; the exact requirement is stated on the admit card - verify there.
Transparent water bottle and simple stationery
If the exam is computer-based, the centre usually supplies rough sheets and a pen or pencil; if it is OMR-based, carry black/blue ballpoint pens as instructed. Carry a small transparent water bottle. Do not carry any other stationery unless the admit card permits it.
Know the reporting time and reach early
Reporting time is earlier than the exam start because of ID checks, biometric capture, and frisking. Aim to be at the gate at least 60–90 minutes before the start time printed on your admit card, and confirm the gate-closing rule on the admit card - late entry is normally refused.
Plan the route and backup transport
Do a dry run or map the route to the centre the day before. Identify the exact gate (campuses often have multiple entrances) and a fallback transport option. Keep the centre address and a local contact saved offline on your phone.
Leave prohibited items at home or with a companion
Mobile phones, smart watches, Bluetooth earbuds, calculators, smart rings, and printed notes are almost always banned inside the hall. Many centres have no secure storage, so the safest option is to leave them behind or bring someone who can hold them. Confirm the prohibited-items list on the admit card.
Check the exam mode and syllabus weighting
Confirm whether your paper is computer-based or OMR-based, the number of questions, duration, and negative-marking rule from the official notification/admit card. The ISRO Scientist/Engineer 'SC' written test is typically objective and discipline-specific; verify the current pattern before relying on it.
Revise formula sheet and key constants
Prepare a one-page sheet of the constants and formulas you are most likely to misremember (machine constants, transformer/induction-motor equivalent-circuit relations, per-unit conversions, power-system base formulas, control-system standard forms). Review it in the final 24 hours only - do not attempt new topics.
Sleep, food, and medication routine
Keep the night before normal: no all-night cramming, a light familiar dinner, and a full night's sleep. Carry a light snack and water for after the exam. If you take prescribed medication, keep it with you and mention it at security if asked.
Rehearse the on-screen or OMR workflow
If computer-based, practise the navigation (question palette, mark-for-review, clear response) on the official mock link if one is provided. If OMR-based, practise bubbling within time and check that you are marking the correct question number.
Plan the day
Stop starting new topics. Re-read the official notification and admit card for pattern, marking scheme, and prohibited items. Take one full-length timed mock in exam conditions and review every wrong answer. Build your one-page formula sheet and a short list of recurring weak areas.
Do targeted revision of the highest-weight areas: electrical machines, power systems, control systems, power electronics, measurements, and circuits - plus the relevant mathematics and aptitude section if the paper includes one. Re-solve previous mistakes rather than fresh hard problems. Confirm your travel plan and, if needed, accommodation near the centre.
Light revision only: formula sheet, key constants, and standard derivations. Pack the admit card, photo ID, photographs, pens, and water bottle in one bag. Charge your phone and save the centre address offline. Set two alarms. Sleep at your normal time; do not study past late evening.
Eat a normal breakfast, re-check the admit card for reporting time and gate, and leave with buffer time. At the centre, complete ID verification and biometrics calmly. Once seated, read the on-screen/printed instructions fully, confirm the question count and negative-marking rule, and note the end time.
First pass: answer the questions you are confident about. Second pass: return to the marked ones, using elimination for numericals. Watch the clock and reserve the last 5–10 minutes to check that no intended answer is left unmarked and that OMR bubbles or on-screen selections match your working. If negative marking applies, guess only when you can eliminate at least two options.
Note the questions you were unsure about while memory is fresh, but do not discuss answers at the gate. Keep your admit card and rough sheets safe until the result is declared, and watch the official portal for the answer key and next-stage (interview) schedule.
Rules to check
Carry the printed admit card and the original photo ID named on it; entry is normally refused without both. Confirm the exact accepted ID list on the admit card.
Reach the centre by the reporting time printed on your admit card. Gates usually close before the exam starts, and late candidates are not admitted - verify the cut-off with the provider.
Do not carry phones, smart watches, earbuds, calculators, or notes into the hall. Follow the frisking and biometric instructions, and cooperate with security.
Breaks are generally not permitted during the exam; use the washroom before entering the hall. If you need to leave for a medical reason, raise your hand and follow the invigilator's instructions.
Do not communicate with other candidates or look at others' screens/sheets once the test begins. Any malpractice can lead to disqualification of your candidature.
Follow the marking scheme exactly as stated in the official notification - including any negative marking and sectional time limits. Do not assume a pattern from other exams.
Keep rough sheets, admit card, and any centre-issued material until you leave; do not remove them from the hall unless the invigilator permits it.
For anything not stated on your admit card - ID exceptions, scribe/assistance for PwBD candidates, re-entry rules, or dress code - confirm with the provider or the official helpline before exam day rather than relying on hearsay.