ITI/NCVT RAC Mechanic (AITT Theory) exam-day guide
ITI/NCVT RAC Mechanic (AITT Theory) · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admit card / hall ticket printout
Carry at least two printed copies of the AITT admit card showing your roll number, trade (RAC Mechanic), exam centre and reporting time. Keep one copy in your bag and one in your pocket. Whether a digital copy is accepted is not standardised - confirm with the provider.
Original photo ID plus one photocopy
Bring the original government photo ID whose number you entered on the application (Aadhaar, PAN, passport, driving licence or similar), plus a photocopy. The exact list of accepted IDs and whether photocopies are retained is set by the testing body - confirm with the provider.
Passport-size photographs
Carry 2–3 recent photographs matching the one on your application, in case the centre needs one for the attendance sheet. The number required is not fixed - confirm with the provider.
Blue/black ballpoint pens (2–3)
Theory papers are typically OMR-based, so bring reliable ballpoint pens. Do not bring gel pens or pencils unless the instruction sheet for your paper allows them; pencil use on OMR sheets can invalidate the response.
Transparent water bottle and simple snack
A clear bottle and a light snack help during a multi-hour session. Food and drink rules vary by centre - confirm with the provider, and expect bags to be checked.
Watch (non-smart, non-calculator)
Many halls have wall clocks but not always in clear view. A plain analogue or digital watch without smart features is safe. Smartwatches and phones are almost always prohibited at the desk.
Know the reporting time and centre route
Note the reporting time on your admit card, which is usually earlier than the paper start. Do a dry run or map the route the day before, accounting for traffic and security queues at the gate.
Revise the exam pattern and marking scheme
Re-read the official instruction page for your paper: number of questions, duration, and whether negative marking applies. Do not assume; if the scheme is not stated in your documents, confirm with the provider.
RAC formula and table sheet (for last-minute revision only)
Keep a single handwritten sheet with key RAC values - refrigerant numbers and chemical names, psychrometric relations, compressor and evaporator formulas, standard wire sizes, brazing temperatures. Leave it outside the hall; loose paper is not allowed at the desk.
No prohibited items
Leave phones, smartwatches, Bluetooth earbuds, calculators, books and notes outside the hall or in the designated deposit area. Even a switched-off phone found on you can be treated as unfair means - confirm the centre's deposit policy with the provider.
Confirm the exam mode and language
Check whether your paper is OMR or CBT and which languages the question booklet is printed in. Language options and mode are fixed at application time - confirm with the provider if your admit card does not state them.
Read the OMR/CBT instructions carefully
Plan to spend the first few minutes reading the instruction page: how to shade ovals, how to correct an answer, and how to flag questions for review in a CBT. These rules differ between OMR and computer-based delivery.
Plan the day
Stop learning new topics. Spend the three days on a final pass of your own notes and the syllabus weightage: refrigerant properties and numbering, vapour compression cycle calculations, psychrometry, refrigeration components, electrical control circuits, wiring and safety. Do two full-length timed practice papers under exam conditions, then review only the mistakes.
Print the admit card, check the centre address and reporting time, and confirm your ID is valid and not expired. Arrange transport and, if the centre is far, book accommodation. Tell one family member your centre and timings.
Revise the high-yield numerical areas: COP calculations, cooling load, compressor displacement, refrigerant mass flow, and psychrometric chart reading. Rehearse standard values you will need (latent heat, specific heats, common refrigerant boiling points) from memory, since no reference material is allowed at the desk.
Pack the bag: admit card copies, original ID and photocopy, photographs, pens, water bottle, snack, watch. Lay out clothes. Do one light revision of formulas only - no new material. Sleep early; avoid last-minute all-night study, which costs more marks than it gains.
Set two alarms. Re-check the reporting time and travel time. Keep the bag by the door. Eat a normal meal and avoid heavy or unfamiliar food.
Eat a proper breakfast, leave with a buffer of at least 30–45 minutes over the estimated travel time, and reach the centre before the reporting time. Carry only what is allowed; leave the phone with a companion or in the designated deposit facility.
Complete ID verification, sign the attendance sheet, and locate your seat and roll number. Use the washroom before entering the hall. Keep your admit card and ID on the desk if instructed.
Read the instruction page fully, check that the booklet or screen shows the correct paper and page count, and fill in roll number and other details exactly as on the admit card. A wrong roll number can void your OMR sheet.
Answer in three passes: first the questions you know instantly, then the ones needing a short calculation, then the doubtful ones. Do not spend more than about a minute on any single question in the first pass. Mark uncertain questions clearly so you can return to them.
Stop starting new questions. Verify that every attempted answer is transferred correctly to the OMR sheet or saved on screen, check for shading errors or skipped questions, and confirm your roll number and booklet series once more.
Rules to check
Carry the admit card and the original photo ID listed on it at all times; entry can be refused without them. The exact accepted ID list is set by the testing body - confirm with the provider if yours is unusual (for example, a learner licence or a recently issued card).
Do not carry phones, smartwatches, Bluetooth devices, calculators, books, or loose notes into the hall. Deposit them as directed or leave them outside. Possession of a prohibited device, even switched off, is commonly treated as unfair means.
Follow the invigilator's instructions on seating, attendance signatures, and question-paper handling. Do not open the booklet or begin the CBT before the start signal, and stop writing immediately when the end is announced.
Any communication with another candidate, looking at another's sheet, or exchanging material is unfair means and can lead to cancellation of your paper and further debarment. If you need something, raise your hand for the invigilator.
Breaks: washroom visits are usually allowed one candidate at a time with invigilator permission, and the clock does not stop. There is normally no separate break during the paper - confirm the centre's practice with the provider.
Scoring: read the official marking scheme for your paper before the exam. If negative marking applies, answer only where you can rule out at least two options; if it does not, attempt every question. Do not assume either way - confirm with the provider.
Fill the OMR sheet or CBT fields exactly as printed on your admit card. Corrections must follow the prescribed method (for example, a clean erasure or the on-screen edit function); overwritten or double-shaded responses may be read as wrong.
Report any problem - a defective booklet, a missing page, a frozen computer, or a seat/roll-number mismatch - to the invigilator immediately and before the paper ends. Complaints raised after leaving the hall are generally not entertained.