Konkur-e Farhangian exam-day guide
Konkur-e Farhangian · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Printed admission card / exam entry permit (کارت ورود به جلسه)
Download it from the official registration portal once it becomes available, usually a few days before the test. Print a clean copy and check that your name, photo, national ID number, field of specialization (رشته), and test center are correct. If anything is wrong, contact the organizing authority immediately rather than waiting until exam day. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is mandatory or whether a digital copy is accepted.
Original national ID card (کارت ملی) or the accepted identity document
Bring the original document, not a photocopy. Check the provider's current instructions for which alternatives are accepted if the national ID is lost (for example a temporary certificate from the civil registration office). Do not rely on a driver's license or student card unless the provider explicitly lists them as valid.
Two or three black ballpoint pens
Answer sheets are typically completed with a dark pen, and optical answer sheets require careful, dark marking. Test a few pens beforehand and bring spares. Confirm with the provider whether pencil is permitted for any section.
Printed copy of the admission card plus one spare
Keep one copy in your bag and one on your person. This protects you if a copy is misplaced during the check-in process.
Watch without smart features
Many halls have no reliable clock. A simple analog or basic digital watch helps you pace sections. Smart watches and phones are usually prohibited at the desk, so leave them off or in the designated area as instructed.
Transparent bag or pouch for documents
A clear pouch makes security checks faster and keeps your ID, admission card, and pens together. Confirm with the provider whether bags are allowed in the hall at all.
Water and a light snack for after the test
Bring these for the period after the exam rather than for the desk, since food and drink at the desk may be restricted. Confirm with the provider whether water is permitted during the test.
Exact test center address and a planned route
Locate the center in advance, ideally by traveling the route once. Note the gate that candidates use, since large campuses can have several entrances. Plan to arrive well before the reporting time; the provider sets the cutoff after which entry is refused, so confirm that cutoff.
Review of the official exam instructions for your specific field
The number of questions, time limit, and whether wrong answers carry a penalty can differ by field and by year. Read the current instruction sheet issued with your admission card and do not rely on memory or on what previous candidates describe. needs_review: confirm the current negative-marking policy and time limit with the provider.
Sleep and meal plan for the night before
Avoid last-minute cramming into the early hours. A normal night's sleep affects performance on a long multiple-choice test more than one extra review session.
Emergency contact and phone charged
Keep a charged phone for the journey, but expect to switch it off and store it as instructed during the test. Arrange a contact person in case of transport problems.
Knowledge of the answer-sheet format
Practice filling an optical answer sheet so that marks are dark, complete, and inside the correct boxes. Erasing is often difficult or prohibited, so practice marking the intended choice the first time. needs_review: confirm whether correction fluid or erasure is allowed at your center.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Review your own summary sheets, formula lists, and past mistakes. Take at most one full timed practice test under exam conditions, then spend more time analyzing errors than scoring. Confirm your admission card is downloaded and printed, check the test center location, and prepare your documents and pens in one place. Adjust your sleep schedule so that you are awake and alert at the exam's start time.
Do a light review only, focusing on high-frequency topics and your personal error list. Pack the transparent pouch with the admission card, original ID, and pens. Lay out clothes and transport money. Eat a normal meal and avoid unfamiliar food or excessive caffeine. Set two alarms. Check the weather and any transport disruptions. Go to bed at a reasonable hour rather than trying to finish the syllabus.
Eat a proper breakfast and drink a moderate amount of water. Leave home with a large time buffer, aiming to reach the center well before the reporting time. At the gate, keep your admission card and ID in hand. Once seated, check that your question booklet and answer sheet match your field and that the booklet is not misprinted; report problems to the invigilator immediately. Fill in the identifying fields on the answer sheet exactly as instructed before the start signal.
Read the instruction page and note the total time and question count. Work in passes: answer the questions you can resolve quickly, mark difficult ones, and return to them. Keep an eye on the clock and reserve several minutes at the end to transfer or verify answers. Mark each answer in the correct row and column, checking the question number against the answer sheet periodically. If you must guess, apply a consistent strategy based on whether wrong answers are penalized. Do not spend excessive time on a single question, and do not change answers at the end without a clear reason.
Rules to check
Bring the original identity document listed by the provider. A photocopy or an unlisted document may result in refusal of entry, so confirm the accepted alternatives with the provider before exam day.
Arrive before the reporting time and observe the entry cutoff. Candidates arriving after the cutoff are generally not admitted, and the exact cutoff is set by the provider, so confirm it in your admission instructions.
Electronic devices, including phones and smart watches, are normally prohibited at the desk. Switch them off and store them as instructed; possession of a device during the test may be treated as a violation.
Follow invigilator instructions exactly, including when to open the booklet, when to begin, and when to stop writing. Continuing to write after the stop signal is commonly treated as a violation.
Do not communicate with other candidates, exchange materials, or look at another answer sheet during the test. Keep your eyes on your own paper and your booklet positioned as instructed.
Complete the answer sheet according to the specified format, using the required pen and marking method. Answers marked outside the designated boxes or in an unreadable way may not be scored. Confirm the marking rules with the provider.
Breaks and leaving the hall are usually restricted during the test. Confirm the provider's policy on restroom breaks and whether leaving early is permitted, and plan your water intake accordingly.
Scoring and any penalty for wrong answers are set by the provider and may change between years. Read the current instructions rather than relying on past practice, and confirm the negative-marking rule with the provider before deciding on a guessing strategy.