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NISM V-A Exam Day: Tips That Actually Move Your Score

You have prepared for weeks; exam day should not be where you leak marks. The practical playbook:

Before you leave

Carry the admit card and prescribed photo-ID (as specified during booking). Reach 30–45 minutes early.
Phones, notes and calculators stay outside — the test screen has what you need.

The 2-hour strategy for 100 questions

Pass 1 (70 min): answer everything you know immediately; flag anything that takes over 45 seconds. Momentum beats perfection.
Pass 2 (35 min): return to flagged questions with fresh eyes.
Final 15 min: V-A has no negative marking — ensure all 100 questions have an answer, even the pure guesses.

Five mistakes that cost real marks

Leaving blanks (inexcusable with zero penalty).
Burning 5 minutes on one hard question in Pass 1.
Not using the flag-and-review palette — then losing track of skipped questions.
Second-guessing regulatory answers you drilled correctly in practice.
Walking in without ever experiencing the interface — the palette, timer and review flow should feel familiar from your mocks, not novel on the day.

Free V-A Mock Test

100 questions, 2-hr timer, no login for the first attempt

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Frequently Asked Questions

What should I carry to the NISM exam centre?

Admit card and the prescribed photo-ID as per your booking confirmation. Personal items, phones and study material are not allowed inside.

Should I attempt all 100 questions in V-A?

Yes, always — there is no negative marking, so a guess has upside and zero downside. Never leave blanks.

How do I manage 2 hours for 100 questions?

Two-pass strategy: sweep all easy questions in ~70 minutes flagging the hard ones, revisit flags in ~35 minutes, and use the final 15 to ensure nothing is blank.

BullWiser is an independent financial education platform, not affiliated with NISM or SEBI. Exam fees, dates and rules can change — always confirm on the official portal nism.ac.in before registering. Mock tests and readiness scores are preparation aids and do not guarantee a pass. Last updated: July 2026.