Iran Capital Market Dealing Exam exam-day guide
Iran Capital Market Dealing Exam · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Primary photo ID (national ID card or passport)
Bring the original document the registration was made under; a photocopy or expired document is normally refused at the door. If you registered with a passport as a non-Iranian candidate, bring that same passport. Confirm with the provider which ID types are accepted for your registration category.
Printed admission card / exam voucher
Print the confirmation issued by the securities examination body and check that the name, exam title, date, session time and venue match your registration. Save a digital copy on your phone as backup, but expect the printed copy to be the one checked. If the card has not arrived in your account a few days before the exam, contact the provider immediately rather than waiting.
Venue address and route plan
Write the exact address and the nearest landmark or metro station on paper. Test the route at the same time of day as the exam if you can, because Tehran traffic and the location of testing centres inside office buildings can add large delays. Note that some centres require you to pass a reception desk and register before entering the exam hall.
Arrival time confirmed with the provider
The cut-off for late entry is set by the exam provider and may differ between sessions. Confirm the required arrival time, typically well before the start to allow for identity checks, and plan to be at the gate earlier than that. needs_review
Exam permit / no-objection letter from your employer or sponsor, if required
Some registration categories for market professional exams require a letter from the employing brokerage or institution. Check your registration conditions and confirm with the provider whether you must carry the original letter on exam day. needs_review
Calculator policy checked in advance
Many securities exams provide an on-screen calculator or a basic non-programmable calculator, and programmable or communication-capable devices are barred. Confirm with the provider exactly what is allowed before the day; do not assume you may bring your own.
Personal items left at home or in a locker
Phones, smart watches, notes and bags are normally collected or must be stored outside the hall. Plan to travel light, and remember that a phone switched off in a pocket can still be treated as a violation if the rules forbid bringing it into the hall.
Water and a light snack for before the session
Food and drink are usually not allowed at the desk. Eat and hydrate before entry, and check with the provider whether a water bottle may be kept in the room. needs_review
Rest and sleep plan for the night before
Do not plan to learn new material on the last night. A full night of sleep improves recall of the formulas and regulatory thresholds you have already studied more than an extra two hours of reading.
Formula and key-number summary sheet
Prepare a one or two page handwritten summary of the formulas and regulatory limits you keep forgetting, such as bond pricing, yield measures, order types and settlement cycles. Use it only for revision before you leave home; it must not go into the hall.
Timepiece or time-management plan
You may not be allowed to wear a watch, and the hall clock may not be visible from every seat. Ask the provider in advance whether a watch is permitted, and otherwise learn to pace yourself by the number of questions remaining. needs_review
Emergency contact and provider phone number
Save the exam provider's contact number in your phone and on paper. If you fall ill or are delayed by transport, calling ahead is usually better than arriving late without explanation, though the final decision on admission rests with the invigilator.
Plan the day
Confirm logistics: print the admission card, verify the venue address and session time, and check the provider's current exam-day instructions for ID, calculator and permitted items. Re-read the syllabus outline and mark any topic you have never studied, then decide whether it is worth a final pass or better left alone.
Do one full timed mock under exam conditions, with no notes and the same question count as the real paper. Mark it strictly, and group your errors by topic rather than by question. Spend the remaining time on the two or three topics that produced the most errors, not on the ones you already handle well.
Reduce input. Review your summary sheet, the regulatory definitions and the numerical thresholds that are easy to confuse, such as settlement periods, price limits and disclosure deadlines. Practise the handful of calculations that appear most often, writing each formula from memory before checking it. Stop adding new sources.
Pack the ID, printed admission card and any permitted items in one place. Confirm the route and the departure time, including a buffer for traffic and security checks. Set two alarms. Eat a normal meal, avoid heavy study after the early evening, and sleep at your usual time.
Eat a proper breakfast, take the packed documents, and leave earlier than your route plan suggests. Do not open new material or debate answers with other candidates at the venue, because last-minute contradictions create doubt. Arrive, complete identity checks, and take your seat calmly.
Read the instructions on the paper or screen before answering: number of questions, marking scheme, whether wrong answers are penalised, and how to flag questions for review. Write down any formula you are afraid of forgetting on the scratch paper if one is provided, then start with the questions you can answer confidently.
Work in passes. First answer everything you know, skipping long calculations; second, return to the flagged items; third, make an educated choice on anything still blank if there is no negative marking. Keep an eye on the remaining time and reserve the last few minutes to check that no question was left unanswered by accident.
Note the topics that felt weak while the memory is fresh, in case you need a retake or a follow-on exam. Keep your admission card and any result reference issued at the centre, since you may need them to check the result.
Rules to check
Bring the original identification document used at registration. Name, photograph and document number must match the registration record; the invigilator may refuse entry if they do not. If your ID is lost or expired, contact the provider before the exam rather than arriving and hoping for an exception.
Electronic devices are normally prohibited in the exam hall. Switch off and hand in or store your phone and smart watch as instructed, and never keep a device on your person. The exact rule on phones, watches and calculators is set by the provider, so confirm it in advance.
Follow the invigilator's instructions on seating, scratch paper and question papers. Do not start before the signal to begin and stop immediately when time is called; continuing to write after the end of the session can lead to invalidation of your paper.
Communication between candidates during the exam, looking at another candidate's screen or paper, and bringing in unauthorised notes are treated as cheating. Penalties can include cancellation of the result and a ban from future sittings, so raise your hand and ask the invigilator if something is unclear.
If you need to leave the room, for example for the washroom, raise your hand and wait to be accompanied or excused according to the centre's procedure. Confirm with the provider whether comfort breaks are allowed and whether the clock stops; usually it does not.
The marking scheme, including whether incorrect answers carry a penalty, is fixed by the exam provider. Check it in the instructions before you guess, because that single rule changes whether it is better to leave a question blank or to answer it.
Results and the pass mark are issued by the examining body, not at the test centre. Do not rely on verbal information from other candidates about the pass mark or the release date; check the official channel given by the provider.