KASNEB ATD exam-day guide
KASNEB ATD · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Examination admission card / permit
Download it from the KASNEB candidate portal once it is released, check that the paper codes, date and centre are correct, and print a clean copy. If any detail is wrong, contact KASNEB immediately rather than correcting it by hand. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is compulsory or a digital copy is accepted.
Original national ID or passport
Bring the original document you used when registering. Photocopies, expired documents and student cards are normally not accepted as identification.
Candidate / index number
Memorise it and write it exactly as it appears on your admission card on every answer booklet or on-screen field. A wrong or missing number can delay or invalidate marking.
Non-programmable calculator
ATD papers involve computation, so a silent, non-programmable calculator is essential. Confirm with the provider or invigilator which models are permitted; programmable, graphing and phone-based calculators are generally prohibited.
Stationery in a clear pouch
Several blue or black ballpoint pens, pencils, a sharpener, an eraser and a short ruler. If your paper includes drawings or tables, a pencil is useful for rough work.
Simple wristwatch
A non-smart analogue or basic digital watch helps you pace yourself in a hall without a visible clock. Smart watches and any device with communication or storage capability are normally banned.
Printed timetable and centre directions
Note the exact venue, room and reporting time. Visit or map the route in advance so you are not searching for the room on the day.
Confirmed exam format and permitted materials
Check whether your sitting is paper-based or computer-based, whether formula sheets or tables are supplied, and whether any open-book elements apply. Policies change, so confirm with KASNEB rather than relying on past sittings.
Approved special arrangements
If you need extra time, a separate room or medical accommodation, confirm in writing well before the exam that it has been granted and what evidence you must carry.
Phone left at home or handed in
Mobile phones and smart devices must not be in the exam room. Confirm the centre's hand-in procedure in advance so you are not caught out at the door.
Water and permitted medication
Bring water in a clear container and any essential medication. Tell the invigilator before the paper starts; loose notes, labels or packaging may need to be removed or checked.
Plan the day
Stop learning new topics. Rework past-paper style questions under timed conditions for each ATD paper you are sitting, and list the formulas, formats and definitions you keep forgetting on a single revision sheet.
Re-check the admission card, paper codes, dates, times and venue. Resolve any discrepancy with KASNEB now, not on exam morning.
Plan the journey: route, transport, backup transport, travel time and an alternative if there is a delay. Confirm the reporting time and add a buffer.
Do a final light review of your summary sheet and the structure of each paper (section format, marks per question, whether questions are compulsory or choice-based, as set out in the syllabus).
Pack the clear pouch, admission card, ID, calculator, watch and printed directions. Lay out clothes and everything else you will carry. Charge nothing you cannot take in.
Eat properly, avoid heavy caffeine in the evening and sleep at a normal hour. A late-night cramming session costs more marks than it earns.
Eat a proper meal, carry water, and leave earlier than the journey requires. Aim to be at the centre well before the reporting time so that checking in is unhurried.
Locate the room and seating list, keep your documents in hand, switch off and hand in or stow any device as instructed, and use the washroom before the paper begins.
Write your candidate number and details exactly as instructed, check the paper code matches your admission card, and read the instructions on compulsory and optional questions before answering anything.
Read the whole paper, allocate minutes per question based on marks, start with the question you know best, and leave time at the end to check workings, totals and the numbers you have written. For calculations, show workings, because method marks are commonly awarded. If you are unsure whether a section is compulsory, ask the invigilator before you commit.
Stop writing new content. Check that every page or on-screen field carries your candidate number, that all questions attempted are numbered clearly, and that you have not left a stray answer in a rough-work area.
Rules to check
Bring your original national ID or passport and your admission card to every sitting; without them you may be refused entry. Confirm the accepted identification with KASNEB in advance.
Mobile phones, smart watches, programmable calculators and any unauthorised notes must not be in the exam room. Possession, even if unused, is normally treated as a serious irregularity.
Write only in the answer booklet or on-screen space provided, and use only the ink or medium specified in the instructions. Rough work should go where the paper directs.
Do not communicate with other candidates once you are seated, and do not look at another candidate's work. Raise your hand and speak to the invigilator if you need anything.
Breaks, including washroom visits, are usually at the invigilator's discretion and may be escorted; check the centre's practice before the paper and use the washroom beforehand.
Answer only the papers and questions your admission card authorises, and comply with the stated number of questions. Extra answers that breach the instructions are unlikely to be marked.
If you believe there is a printing error, a missing page or a wrong paper code, tell the invigilator immediately and before the paper ends; do not attempt to fix it silently.
Scoring and pass requirements are set by KASNEB and can change between sittings. Confirm the current pass mark, grading and any referral rules from official KASNEB literature rather than from peers or past papers.
If you fall ill or cannot complete the paper, notify the invigilator at the time and find out what evidence the provider requires afterwards; a later claim without documentation is hard to support.