Karnataka II PUC Hindustani Music (KSEAB) exam-day guide
Karnataka II PUC Hindustani Music (KSEAB) · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Printed hall ticket / admission ticket
Carry at least one printed copy. Karnataka practical exams are usually conducted at the candidate's own school or a designated centre, and the hall ticket lists the centre, date and session. Confirm the exact reporting time and venue with your school or the KSEAB notification - do not assume the theory-exam centre is the same.
School ID card or any photo ID advised by your centre
Bring your school/college ID card. If you do not have one, ask your music teacher in advance what alternative proof of identity the centre will accept. Confirm with the provider; ID requirements for practical examinations can vary by centre.
Your instrument or the instrument you have been trained on
Hindustani practical exams are normally taken on your own instrument - tabla, harmonium, sitar, violin, vocal (with tanpura or electronic tanpura) as applicable. Confirm with your teacher whether the centre provides a tanpura, tabla, or harmonium, or whether you must bring your own. Carry spares where sensible: tabla syahi/straps, extra strings, reeds, bow, and a small tuning device.
Tanpura / drone source
If you sing or play a melodic instrument, you will usually be expected to perform with a drone. Ask whether the centre supplies a tanpura or electronic tanpura, or whether you should bring one. Do not rely on a phone app unless your teacher confirms it is permitted.
Notebook with your prescribed ragas, talas and compositions
Revise from your own written notations: the ragas and talas in your syllabus, the bandish, chiz, gat, or tukda you will present, and the taal cycles with their vibhag and sam. The examiner may ask you to explain the structure of a raga or count a tala, so written notes help you revise in the waiting area.
List of pieces/compositions you plan to present
Prepare a short written list of what you will perform - raga, composition, tala, composer (if known) - and the order in which you will present them. Confirm with your teacher whether the examiner chooses the raga from your syllabus or whether you present your prepared choice.
Water bottle and a light snack
Practical sessions can run long and you may wait before your turn. Carry water; avoid very cold drinks and heavy food before singing or playing.
Simple, comfortable clothing appropriate to a classical performance
Wear what your school advises for practicals - usually uniform or simple formal Indian attire. Avoid tight clothing that restricts breathing for vocalists, and avoid heavy jewellery that interferes with tabla or sitar playing.
Warm-up and voice/instrument care routine
Do a gentle vocal warm-up (sargam in a comfortable sa) or finger/hand warm-up before your turn. Do not over-sing or over-practise in the last hour; a tired voice or hand is worse than a slightly under-rehearsed one.
Know your scale and tuning
Decide your sa (tonic) in advance and be able to state it clearly, e.g. 'I will sing in C#'. Practise tuning your instrument or setting your tanpura quickly and quietly, since setup time in the exam is limited.
Confirm reporting time, dress code and instrument policy with your school
needs_review - these details are set by the centre and the current KSEAB instructions. Ask your music teacher or principal to confirm the exact reporting time, whether parents/ accompanists are allowed, and whether an accompanist (tabla/harmonium player) is provided or must be arranged by you.
Confirm the internal/practical marks split and assessment scheme
needs_review - the weighting of practical versus theory and the internal assessment components are set in the current KSEAB scheme of assessment for the academic year. Ask your teacher to show you the current syllabus and marks distribution rather than relying on older batches' information.
Plan the day
Consolidate, do not expand. Pick the ragas and compositions you will actually present and stop learning new material. Practise a full mock performance each day: enter, tune, state your raga and tala, present the composition, and answer two or three viva-style questions aloud. Record yourself once and listen for tempo drift, unclear sam, and shaky tuning. Write out your notations cleanly so you can revise from them. Check your instrument for damage and get repairs done now, not on exam morning.
Do one light rehearsal only - 30 to 45 minutes - focusing on tuning, starting pitch, and the first composition. Revise tala counting (sam, tali, khali, vibhag) and the aroha/avaroha of each chosen raga, since these are common viva questions. Pack your bag: hall ticket, ID, instrument and spares, tanpura if required, notebook, water. Lay out your clothes. Sleep early; a rested voice and steady hands matter more than one more hour of practice.
Eat a light, normal breakfast; avoid very heavy, very spicy, or very cold food and avoid milk products if they thicken your voice. Do a short warm-up - 10 to 15 minutes of gentle sargam or slow strokes - well before you leave. Arrive at the centre with time to spare, re-tune quietly, and keep talking to a minimum if you are a vocalist. Keep your notebook handy for last-minute glances at notations.
Enter calmly, greet the examiners, and ask permission before tuning. Tune quickly and quietly, state your sa and the raga/tala you will present, then perform. Keep a steady laya and make the sam clear. If asked to demonstrate something you know - a tala in hand, an alankar, a palta, a raga's pakad - do it confidently and slowly rather than fast and unclear. Answer viva questions briefly and honestly; if you do not know, say so politely rather than guessing. If you make a mistake, continue - examiners assess overall musicality, not a flawless run.
Rules to check
Carry your hall ticket and the photo ID your centre requires; you may be refused entry without them. Confirm the accepted ID with your school before the exam day.
Report at the time your centre specifies. Arrive early rather than exactly on time, because instrument setup, tuning, and waiting for your turn take time. Confirm the reporting time with the provider.
Perform only from the prescribed syllabus. Presenting ragas, talas, or compositions outside the syllabus will not earn marks and may confuse the viva.
Do not use unauthorised aids - no pre-recorded accompaniment tracks, no phone apps as a substitute for a tanpura, and no prompting from a friend in the hall - unless your teacher confirms the centre permits them. Ask before the exam day.
Treat examiners and accompanying artists with courtesy. Do not argue about marks or the choice of raga during the exam; if you believe an error occurred, raise it afterwards through your school.
Breaks and water: practical exams generally allow you to keep a water bottle nearby, but confirm with the provider whether you may leave the hall between candidates or must remain seated in the waiting area.
Accompaniment: confirm with the provider whether the centre supplies a tabla/harmonium accompanist or whether you must arrange one, and whether an accompanist may enter the exam hall with you.
Scoring: the practical is assessed on your performance and viva, and its weight in the final grade is fixed by the current KSEAB scheme. Ask your teacher for the current marks distribution; do not rely on what earlier batches report.