UPMSP Radio & Colour TV Technique exam-day guide
UPMSP Radio & Colour TV Technique · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admit card / hall ticket and a photo ID
Carry the original admit card issued for this paper plus the school-issued identity card. Whether a photocopy or an Aadhaar copy is acceptable is decided by the centre, so confirm with the school/examiner beforehand rather than assuming.
Practical record file / worksheet / observation book
Most vocational trades require a completed and signed practical file containing the prescribed experiments on radio receivers, SMPS power supply, colour TV sections and fault diagnosis. Get the file checked and signed well before the exam date; confirm with the school whether it must be submitted on the exam day.
Digital multimeter (with good batteries and probes)
Used for continuity, resistance, DC/AC voltage and diode testing. Confirm in advance whether the centre supplies instruments or you must bring your own; if you bring it, test the battery, both probes and every range before leaving home.
Soldering iron with stand, solder wire, flux/paste and a desoldering pump or wick
A soldering and de-soldering task is standard in this trade. Clean the bit, tin it, and check the cord and plug for insulation damage. Carry your own consumables unless the centre confirms it provides them.
Hand tool kit: screwdriver set, long-nose pliers, side cutters, tweezers, small spanner and insulation tape
Needed for opening a receiver/TV back cover, removing PCBs and pulling components. Keep tools in a pouch or roll so nothing is lost on the bench and nothing rolls onto a live board.
Hook-up wire, a small piece of vero/breadboard or scrap PCB, and a few spare components
Useful for a wiring or soldering exercise and for practising joints beforehand. Component sets and consumables vary by centre, so confirm with the provider what is actually supplied.
Stationery: blue/black pen, pencil, eraser, sharpener and a 15 cm scale
You will draw block diagrams (tuner, IF, video amplifier, chroma, deflection, sound, SMPS) and record voltage/current/resistance readings. Use a pencil for diagrams and a pen for written answers, as instructed.
Lab coat/apron, closed rubber-soled shoes and safety glasses
Live-chassis work and mains-operated equipment are involved. No loose sleeves, no metal watch strap or hanging jewellery, and no open footwear. Confirm the dress requirement with the school before the day.
Simple wrist watch (non-smart)
Smart watches and phones are generally not allowed at the workstation. A plain watch lets you pace the soldering, testing and recording phases.
A cloth or brush for cleaning the bench and a small container for removed screws/components
Screws and small components lost on the floor cannot be recovered in time. Keeping them in a tray makes re-assembly and the examiner's inspection of your workmanship easier.
Written plan of the block diagram, colour-coding chart and common fault-symptom table for last-minute revision
A single sheet covering resistor colour code, transistor/IC pin identification, typical SMPS output rails and symptoms such as no raster, no sound with raster, no colour, or a collapsed picture. Revise from it, then leave it outside the workstation if loose paper is not permitted.
Plan the day
Confirm the reporting time, venue, room/lab number, duration and marks split for the practical with the school or examiner - do not rely on hearsay. At the same time, ask specifically what the centre supplies (TV trainer kit, CRO, signal generator, components) and what you must bring.
Do hands-on practice, not reading: make 10 to 15 clean solder joints and de-solder the same joints on a scrap PCB, then measure the mains transformer output, an SMPS rail and a resistor with your own multimeter on every relevant range. Rehearse the colour code and component pin identification aloud.
Revise the section-wise block diagram of a colour TV (tuner, IF, video detector, video amplifier, chroma/colour decoder, sync and deflection, EHT/line output, SMPS, sound IF and output) and match each block to a typical fault symptom. Also revise the safe method of discharging a CRT/EHT anode and the one-hand rule for live measurements.
Complete and get signed any pending practical file, worksheet or project. Lay out every tool on a table, test the multimeter, tin the soldering iron bit, replace worn probes or a frayed cord, and replace anything missing. Buy spare solder, flux and a spare iron bit if needed.
Pack the bag against the checklist and label your tools with your name or roll number. Re-read only your own one-page summary and the safety steps - no new topics. Sleep at a normal hour; a steady hand at the soldering station matters more than one extra hour of cramming.
Eat properly, dress as required (lab coat, closed shoes, no loose jewellery), and leave early enough to reach the centre with a comfortable buffer. Recheck that the admit card, ID, file and tool kit are in the bag before you close the door.
Locate your workstation, identify the mains switch and the socket you will use, and place tools in a fixed order so you do not hunt for them later. Tell the examiner immediately if a tool, instrument lead or the given board/apparatus is already damaged or missing, before you begin work.
Read the whole question paper before touching anything. Note the marks weight of each task, decide the order (typically the task carrying the most marks first), and identify which steps need the examiner's permission - especially energising any circuit.
Work in a fixed loop: inspect, plan, connect, get permission, energise, measure, record, isolate. Write readings and observations in the answer sheet as you take them, with range and unit, rather than from memory afterwards. Keep the bench dry and clear, and never leave an iron resting on the board.
State your reasoning as you go: symptom, section suspected, test point chosen, expected versus measured value, conclusion. A logical documented sequence usually earns more than a lucky guess, and it protects you if the fault is not finally traced.
Switch off and isolate the equipment, discharge the EHT/anode if you handled a CRT, return borrowed tools, and leave the bench tidy. Check that every asked-for diagram, reading table and conclusion is written, and that your roll number and question numbers are filled correctly.
Answer briefly and honestly. If you do not know something, say so and state how you would find out; never invent a voltage, pin number or safety procedure. Examiners commonly ask what you actually did, why you chose a range, and what a given symptom indicates.
Rules to check
Carry the original admit card and the ID the school has told you to bring; keep them on you throughout, not inside the tool bag. Exactly which IDs the centre accepts is an examination-authority matter - confirm with the provider and do not assume a photocopy or a soft copy will do.
Mobile phones, smart watches and Bluetooth devices are normally not permitted at the workstation. Leave them switched off and outside the lab in the manner the invigilator directs, and ask before using a calculator if one is needed.
Never energise a mains-operated circuit, TV trainer kit or SMPS board without the examiner's explicit permission, and never work alone on a live chassis. Use an isolation transformer where the centre provides one, keep one hand free, and discharge EHT/anode points before touching a CRT or its cap.
Do not borrow tools or components from another candidate's bench without the invigilator's knowledge, and do not touch another candidate's board or readings. If something is missing or faulty, report it and ask - most centres allow a replacement or a substitute item.
Record measurements, units and observations on the answer sheet as you take them, and keep the sequence of your fault-diagnosis steps visible. Do not back-fill readings after the fact; an incomplete honest table is treated better than fabricated values.
Marking for the practical is normally divided between the procedure/workmanship, the soldering or assembly task, fault diagnosis, the record file and the viva. The exact split and pass criteria are set by the board and school, so ask the examiner or your teacher rather than working from an assumed figure.
Report on time as per the call letter; candidates arriving after the permitted entry time may not be accommodated, and that decision rests with the centre - confirm the reporting time in advance so the question does not arise.
Respect the safety rules even under time pressure: eye protection while clipping and soldering, no eating or drinking at the bench, and report any burn, shock or damaged lead to the examiner immediately instead of hiding it.