To manage time during an exam, spend the first few minutes reading the whole paper, plan how much time each section deserves, and attempt the questions you know best first. Running out of time is usually a planning problem, not a knowledge problem, and a simple time plan fixes it.
Begin with the reading time, or the first 3 to 5 minutes. Scan the entire paper, identify easy and hard questions, and mentally mark the order you will attempt them. This prevents nasty surprises later.
Allocate time by marks. A question worth 5 marks deserves roughly five times the time of a 1-mark question. Write a rough time target for each section and keep an eye on the clock, for example finish Section A by 40 minutes.
Attempt the easy and high-scoring questions first. This secures marks early, builds confidence and ensures you are not stuck on a hard question while easy marks slip away unanswered.
Example: A Class 12 student in Kolkata used to leave 15 marks unattempted because they got stuck on tough questions early. By switching to easy first, hard last, and setting a per-section time limit, they began completing the whole paper with time to spare.
Do not get stuck. If a question is taking too long, mark it, move on, and return later. One difficult question is not worth losing five easy ones. Leave the last 5 to 10 minutes to check answers and fill any blanks.
One practical tip: Practise full papers at home with a timer before the exam. Time management is a skill built through rehearsal, so by exam day, pacing should feel automatic, not stressful.