How to Prepare for BBA Exams

By: ABRAR UL MUSTAFA

Exam time has always been a nightmare for the students. These are the moments of curiosity, suspense and fear. Every student wants to put his best foot forward and earn maximum marks. However, only those who work honestly and keep their head calm are the most successful. Being a student and teacher of Management Studies at different stages of my career and having evaluated the corresponding Answer Papers, I would like to share the following tips to tackle the exam.

1) Write the answers in Points:

The questions usually asked in BBA are such questions, the answers of which consist of points. For example, what are the different types of Market Segmentation Strategies? Such questions can be answered by writing it in points. There may be some points. If you write all the points, there are maximum chances that you earn maximum marks. So, after understanding the concepts, try to memorise the points so that you don’t forget them in the examination. This is helpful because if you can write ten points for a question that carries ten marks, it’s very likely that you will face a miniscule cut in the marks.

2) Use Real-world examples and cases:

Since BBA is all about businesses and companies, the more you mention real-world corporate examples, the more strong your answers will be. Therefore, with the passage of time, try to be aware of the happenings in various corporate companies around the globe; read about various cases that take place in these companies. Decorate your answers with such relevant cases and examples from the world of business.

3) Use Diagrams and Models:

Diagrams have always been an attractive and helpful tool that can be used to strengthen your answers. What’s most wonderful about diagrams is that they describe a lot of things in a small space. Diagrams speak effectively. They’re in no way lesser than the text. In fact, they may communicate better than the text. Similarly, there are various Models that have been proposed from the pundits of management. Such Models explain various theories postulated from time to time. Often diagrammatic models are used to present these theories. So, don’t miss out on an opportunity to include diagrams in your answers.

4) Memorise Formulae and Revise the Numericals:

There are a number of mathematical subjects whose major part comprises of numericals and formulae. Once you understand the concepts, memorise the formulae and then revise different types of numericals on the subject. Revise as many questions as possible. Try to solve different types of numericals so that you don’t fall in trouble on facing an unexpected type of numerical.

5) Analyse Previous Years’ Papers:

Previous years’ papers are tremendously helpful. Believe me, you get a feel of the real exam from these papers. Once you analyse them thoroughly, you get to understand the pattern of the questions. It boosts your confidence because you see questions that you have studied well and you get to believe in your preparation. Collect a good lot of previous years’ papers and analyse them thoroughly.

6) Write to-the-point:

One of the misconceptions among students, especially in Graduate and Postgraduate students, is that they have come to believe that the more they write, the more marks they are going to get. I would like to share with the students that I’ve never written just for the sake of filling the answer sheets. Being a topper of my University Batch, I strongly recommend the above mentioned fact since I’ve used a continuation sheet only once during my Masters and that too only for writing a single line. Your answers should be quality answers. Examiners don’t have that much of time that they check your answers word by word. Writing irrelevant stuff and all possible stories from here and there only for the sake of filling the paper is meaningless. It creates boredom in the evaluators. This practice should be done away with. It’s only a way to circle the square wherein you try to cover up the inability to answer properly. It exposes you. So, always write to-the-point answers. Underline the most important lines that catch the eyes of the evaluator.

Postscript: To conclude, remember there’s no alternative to hard work. Research the contents of your syllabus. Attend to the smallest details. Remember, excellence lies in the details. In addition to this, take this lifelong piece of advice: “Don’t be greedy of getting the first position and never be afraid of failure.”
(Abrar Ul Mustafa is MBA, NET, IBPS. He currently works as Assistant Manager, Canara Bank)
abrarwrites@gmail.com