Civil Service General Exam exam-day guide
Civil Service General Exam · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission ticket / confirmation letter
Print or download the admission document from the official portal. Confirm the exam venue, date, reporting time, and any candidate instructions printed on it. If the document has not arrived or the portal shows no venue, confirm with the provider immediately.
Valid photo ID
Bring the original ID type named in the provider's instructions (commonly a national ID card, passport, or driving licence). Check that it is unexpired and that the name matches your application exactly. Photocopies and digital copies are usually not accepted; confirm the accepted ID types with the provider.
Writing instruments
Bring two or three black or blue ballpoint pens and a pencil plus eraser if the paper allows it. For objective answer sheets, use the pen or pencil the instructions specify; using the wrong instrument can invalidate a sheet. Confirm permitted stationery with the provider.
Watch (non-smart, analogue or basic digital)
Exam halls do not always have a visible clock. A simple watch helps you pace sections. Smart watches, fitness bands, and any device with communication or storage capability are normally prohibited; confirm the provider's device policy.
Clear water bottle and light snack
Bring water in a transparent bottle and a small snack for before or after the test if the provider permits food in the hall. Rules on food and drink vary; confirm with the provider.
Venue route and backup plan
Rehearse the route to the venue, note the reporting time, and plan to arrive well before it. Identify a backup transport option and the nearest public transport stop. Late arrival is commonly grounds for exclusion; confirm the late-entry cut-off with the provider.
Review the official candidate instructions
Read the full instruction sheet that comes with the admission document: prohibited items, break policy, answer-sheet marking rules, and scoring or penalty rules. Do not rely on second-hand summaries.
Confirm scoring and negative-marking rules
Check whether wrong answers carry a penalty, whether sections are separately timed, and how ties are resolved. These rules change outcomes; confirm them with the provider rather than assuming.
Leave prohibited items at home
Mobile phones, smart devices, notes, and study materials are normally banned from the hall. There may be no secure storage, so leave them at home or with a companion. Confirm the provider's list of prohibited items.
Sleep and meal plan
Protect sleep in the final two nights and eat a normal breakfast. Avoid new foods, heavy caffeine, or late-night cramming that disrupts rest.
Emergency contact and provider phone number
Save the provider's enquiry number and a personal emergency contact on paper, since phones may be surrendered. Confirm the provider's contact details in advance.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Review your own summary sheets, formula lists, and past error logs. Take one full timed practice paper under exam conditions to calibrate pacing, then review only the mistakes. Confirm the venue, reporting time, and ID requirements. Prepare the bag and lay out clothes. Keep the last night free of intense study.
Do a light review of high-yield facts and your pacing plan. Check transport schedules and any planned engineering works. Pack the admission document, ID, pens, pencil, eraser, watch, water, and snack. Set two alarms. Go to bed at a normal hour; do not study past early evening.
Eat a normal breakfast and drink moderate water. Leave earlier than the route requires, allowing for delays. Arrive at the venue with time to find the room and the toilets. Avoid last-minute discussion of questions with other candidates, which raises anxiety. Switch off and stow your phone before entering the hall.
Read the front-page instructions and check the number of questions and time limit. Fill in your candidate number and other details exactly as instructed. Do a first pass answering questions you know, flag uncertain ones, and return to them. Watch the clock at fixed checkpoints rather than continuously. If negative marking applies, guess only when you can eliminate options. Transfer answers to the answer sheet in blocks and verify alignment. Leave a few minutes to check that every question is marked and your details are correct.
Rules to check
Bring the original photo ID specified by the provider. Expired or mismatched ID commonly leads to exclusion; confirm accepted ID types with the provider.
Arrive by the reporting time printed on your admission document. Late entry after the stated cut-off is usually refused; confirm the cut-off with the provider.
Do not bring phones, smart watches, or study materials into the hall. If caught, they are typically treated as a conduct violation; confirm the prohibited-item list and whether storage is available with the provider.
Follow the invigilator's instructions on starting, stopping, and breaks. Writing after the stop signal or before the start signal can void your paper.
Mark the answer sheet exactly as instructed. Multiple marks on one objective question are commonly scored as wrong; confirm the marking rule with the provider.
Check whether wrong answers are penalised before guessing. Negative marking changes strategy; confirm the scoring rule with the provider.
Raise your hand for a replacement pen, toilet visit, or any problem, and stay seated until an invigilator responds. Unsupervised movement may be treated as misconduct.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the test. Talking, signalling, or passing materials is normally a conduct violation; confirm the provider's disciplinary procedure.