KASNEB CIFA Intermediate exam-day guide
KASNEB CIFA Intermediate · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Original national ID or passport
Bring the same identification document you used when registering. The name and number must match KASNEB's records exactly; a mismatch can bar you from sitting the paper. A photocopy or a mobile image is normally not accepted as the primary ID.
Examination card / sitting confirmation
Download and print your examination card or booking confirmation from the KASNEB student portal for the correct session, and check the paper codes, dates, times and centre against your own timetable. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is compulsory or whether an electronic copy on your phone is accepted at your centre.
Candidate/index number and paper codes
Write your candidate number and the codes of the papers you are sitting on a small card or memorise them, so you can enter them correctly on any attendance sheet or on-screen login without delay.
Recent passport-size photograph
Some centres ask for a photograph for verification or for the attendance register. Carry one or two copies; confirm with the provider whether this is required at your centre.
Non-programmable calculator
CIFA papers are quantitative, so a calculator is effectively essential. Carry a silent, battery-powered, non-programmable calculator and spare batteries. Confirm with the provider the exact calculator restrictions (for example whether financial or scientific models with stored text are permitted) before the exam day.
Pens, pencil, eraser and ruler
Carry at least two blue or black ballpoint pens, a pencil, an eraser and a short ruler for rough work and for any written attendance details. For computer-based sittings, confirm with the provider whether rough-work paper is supplied at the centre or whether you must request it.
Printed exam timetable and centre address
Print the timetable and note the exact centre name, physical address, nearest landmark and the reporting time for each session. Visit or map the route in advance; traffic in major towns can add substantial time.
Proof that fees are paid and registration is valid
Keep a copy of your payment receipt or portal statement showing the session you are registered for. Resolve any registration or fee query with KASNEB well before the exam date, not on the morning of the paper.
Leave prohibited items behind
Mobile phones, smart watches, earphones and unauthorised notes should not be taken into the exam room. Confirm with the provider whether the centre provides secure storage, or plan to travel without these items.
Read the KASNEB instructions to candidates
Read the current examination rules and the instructions printed on your examination card before the exam day so that arrival times, permitted items and conduct expectations are not a surprise.
Plan the day
Stop learning new topics. Work through your own summary notes, formula sheets and past-paper-style questions for the specific papers in the session, and time at least one full paper under exam conditions. Re-check your examination card against the timetable for dates, times, paper codes and centre. Confirm travel arrangements and, if the centre is unfamiliar, do a route check. Prepare and pack your exam-day pouch (ID, exam card, pens, calculator, spare batteries, timetable). Sleep on a normal schedule rather than cramming overnight.
Do a light review of key formulas, definitions and question-command words only. Lay out clothes, ID, examination card, calculator and stationery by the door. Confirm the reporting time and set two alarms plus a backup. Check the weather and traffic news, and plan to arrive early. Eat a normal meal and avoid alcohol; aim for a full night's sleep. Do not start a new topic or attempt a full mock this late.
Eat a proper breakfast and take water. Arrive at the centre well before the reporting time so there is margin for verification and seating. Present your ID and examination card when asked, switch off and stow your phone as instructed, and use the washroom before you are seated. Once at the workstation or desk, check that the paper code on screen or on the booklet matches the paper you are registered for, and report any discrepancy immediately.
Read the instructions on the cover or login screen fully before starting. Allocate time by marks: skim the whole paper in the first few minutes, note the number of questions and marks, and set a rough time budget per section. Answer the easiest questions first to bank marks. For calculations, show workings clearly, keep units and currency consistent, and carry a running check on your calculator. Watch the clock at the halfway mark and leave time to attempt every required question and to review. If the system freezes or a calculator fails, raise your hand and inform the invigilator at once rather than attempting to fix it yourself.
Rules to check
Identification is compulsory: present the original ID or passport used at registration together with your examination card. Candidates without acceptable identification may be denied entry; confirm with the provider what alternatives, if any, are accepted.
Enter only with permitted items. Phones, smart devices, unauthorised notes and any unauthorised material must be left outside the exam room. Possession of unauthorised material inside the room is treated as an examination irregularity.
Follow the invigilator's instructions at all times, including on seating, starting and stopping writing, and handing in materials. Do not begin until told to start and stop immediately when told to stop.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the paper, and do not read from or copy another candidate's work. Any suspected impersonation, collusion or copying is reportable as malpractice.
Breaks and movement are restricted during a paper. Confirm with the provider whether toilet breaks are permitted and whether any supervised break is allowed for your paper; expect to be escorted and expect no extra time.
Use only an approved calculator and do not share it. Confirm with the provider the exact calculator rules for your centre before the exam day.
Answers must be your own and presented in the required format (for example, showing workings where marks are allocated). Marks are awarded only for what is written or entered within the time allowed; work done after time is called is not marked.
Examination irregularities are dealt with under KASNEB's disciplinary procedures and can lead to cancellation of results or disqualification. If you are unsure about any rule, ask the invigilator or confirm with the provider before the paper rather than guessing.