ICMAP Strategic Level exam-day guide
ICMAP Strategic Level · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Printed examination admit card / roll number slip
Print at least two copies the day it is released and store one in your bag and one with a family member. If your provider issues it only electronically, download it to your phone as a backup in addition to the printed copy.
Original photo ID (CNIC or passport)
Carry the original document, not a photocopy or a picture on your phone. Check that the name matches your admit card exactly. If you have changed your name or the ID is expired, contact the examination department well before the exam date.
Confirmation of venue, hall and reporting time
Re-check the venue and reporting time on your admit card or the provider's official notice at least 48 hours before the paper, since centres and timings can change. Confirm with the provider if anything is unclear.
Two or more blue/black ballpoint pens plus a spare
Write with the same ink colour throughout the script. Avoid gel pens that smudge and pencils for final answers.
Pencil, eraser and small sharpener
Needed for workings, rough notes and any multiple-choice answer sheet. Keep them in a clear pouch so they are easy to show at the desk.
Non-programmable calculator in working order
Fit fresh batteries or carry a second basic calculator. Confirm with the provider whether your specific model is permitted before exam day rather than discovering it at the desk.
Transparent pouch or clear bag for stationery
Many centres require stationery to be visible. Keep the pouch containing only exam items so security checks are quick.
Simple analogue or non-smart digital watch
Wall clocks may not be visible from your seat. Smart watches are normally prohibited, so bring a basic timepiece only.
Water bottle and light snack for before/after the paper
Keep the bottle clear and label-free if the hall rules require it. Eat the snack outside the exam hall, not at the desk.
One-page formula and framework summary
A single sheet of key formulas, ratios, costing variances and report structures is the most efficient final revision tool. Read it in the final hour before entering the hall, then put it away.
Planned route and travel buffer
Rehearse the route or check traffic patterns a day ahead and aim to arrive at least 45-60 minutes early. Confirm the provider's late-arrival cut-off so you know the real deadline.
Leave prohibited items at home
Mobile phones, smart watches, earbuds, notes and study material should not travel with you to the centre. If you must carry a phone, plan where you will hand it in if the centre provides storage.
Plan the day
Switch from learning new material to consolidating. Re-read your own summary notes, formula sheet and past weak areas only. Practise two or three full questions under timed conditions, ideally at the same time of day as the real paper, and mark them strictly against the suggested answer structure. Confirm your admit card, ID and venue details, and resolve any doubt with the provider now rather than on exam morning.
Pack the clear pouch with pens, pencil, eraser, sharpener, calculator and admit card, and place it by the door with your ID. Do one light review of formulas and question-approach frameworks, then stop. Check travel arrangements and set two alarms. Sleep at your normal time rather than staying up; recall under exam pressure depends more on sleep than on one more topic.
Eat a proper breakfast and avoid heavy caffeine if you are already anxious. Do a 20-30 minute review of your one-page summary only. Leave with a large travel buffer, arrive early, locate the hall and washroom, and keep away from last-minute discussions with other candidates. Switch your phone off and hand it in as required before entering.
Fill in all identification details on the answer book and answer sheet carefully and check the paper code. Read the whole paper and the instructions on compulsory and optional questions. Allocate minutes to each question in the margin of your rough sheet, reserving roughly 10-15 minutes at the end for checking.
Start with a question you can answer confidently to settle nerves, but do not overrun your time budget on it. Show workings clearly: method marks are usually earned even when the final figure is wrong. Answer the required number of questions only; extra answers normally earn nothing. If a calculation blocks you, write the formula and move on, returning later if time allows.
Stop writing new content and check that every required question has been attempted, question numbers match the answers, and all pages carry your roll number. Correct any obvious arithmetic or labelling slips, then close the script and hand it in as instructed.
Rules to check
Bring the original photo ID specified by the provider; entry is normally refused without it, and a photocopy or phone image is not accepted.
Mobile phones, smart watches, earbuds and any study material are prohibited in the hall. Switch devices off and hand them in if storage is offered; possession at the desk is normally treated as malpractice.
Only non-programmable calculators are normally allowed. Confirm your model with the provider in advance, and do not borrow equipment from another candidate during the paper.
Arrive before the reporting time. Late entry is at the centre supervisor's discretion and time lost is not added back. Confirm the exact cut-off with the provider.
Once the paper starts you generally may not leave the hall except for an emergency and with an invigilator's permission; confirm the provider's policy on washroom breaks and early departure.
Answer only the number of questions the paper requires and follow the marks allocation. Extra questions are not marked, and time spent on them is lost from the required answers.
Do not communicate with other candidates, exchange material or look at another script. Any suspected unfair means is handled under the provider's disciplinary rules, so raise any problem with an invigilator instead.
The pass mark, marking scheme and any exemption or carry-forward rules are set by the provider. Confirm these with ICMAP directly rather than relying on hearsay from other candidates.