Class 12 Maths NCERT Exemplar: when and how to start
Many Class 12 parents ask the same thing: should my child start the NCERT Exemplar now, or later?
This post gives a clear order for NCERT, Exemplar and sample papers, and shows where a home tutor fits in.
What each of the three resources is for
Parents often treat NCERT, the Exemplar and sample papers as three names for the same thing. They are not. Each does a different job.
- NCERT textbook: This teaches the concept. It has solved examples and exercises. For CBSE, it is the base of the whole course.
- NCERT Exemplar: This is a problem book from NCERT. Its questions are usually harder and more varied than the textbook exercises. It trains the child to think when a question looks unfamiliar.
- Sample papers: These are full papers. They train the child to manage time, choose which question to attempt first, and write answers in a clean step-by-step way.
If a child jumps to sample papers before the textbook is solid, the papers only show weak marks. They do not fix them. That is why the order matters.
When to start the Exemplar
Do not start the Exemplar on day one of a chapter. Start it when two things are true.
- The child has read the chapter and solved every solved example in the NCERT textbook without looking at the solution.
- The child can do most textbook exercise questions alone, in reasonable time.
When both are true, the Exemplar for that chapter is the right next step. If they are not true, the Exemplar will feel crushing and the child may lose confidence. Go back to the textbook and fix the gaps first.
We are in November. Many Class 12 students are still behind on some chapters. That is normal. Do not try to do everything at once. Pick the chapters in order of weakness and move one chapter at a time.
A simple order of work for each chapter
The table below shows one practical sequence. Adjust the timing to your child's school schedule and the pace of the class.
| Stage | What the child does | What the tutor does |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Learn the chapter | Reads the NCERT chapter, solves all solved examples | Explains the hard ideas, shows a few shortcuts that are safe to use |
| 2. Practise the basics | Completes the NCERT exercises | Checks the steps, not only the final answers |
| 3. Stretch | Attempts the Exemplar for that chapter, a few questions a day | Picks the questions worth the time, helps when the child is stuck |
| 4. Revise | Redoes the questions marked as wrong, after a gap of some days | Keeps a mistake list and tests the same ideas again |
| 5. Test | Writes full sample papers in the real time limit | Reviews the paper, marks it strictly, plans the next week |
Notice that sample papers come last, not first. Do a few chapter-wise tests earlier if you like, but save full papers for when most of the syllabus is covered.
How to use the Exemplar without losing heart
Exemplar questions can be tricky. Here is how to handle them.
- Give each question a fair try. Ten to fifteen minutes of honest effort is useful. Staring for an hour is not.
- Mark the stuck questions. Do not copy the answer straight away. Ask the tutor for a hint first, then try again.
- Write down the idea, not only the answer. For each question that went wrong, note in one line what you missed, such as a skipped check on the allowed values of x or a wrong rule used.
- Do a few questions daily. Twenty steady days beat one long Sunday.
Here is a small example of the kind of question where a hint helps. It uses the principal value of inverse trigonometric functions. The principal value is the one agreed answer in a fixed range, so that each inverse function gives only one result.
Example: Find the value of tan-1(1) + cos-1(−1/2) + sin-1(−1/2).
Step 1. tan-1(1) = π/4, since tan(π/4) = 1 and π/4 lies in the principal range.
Step 2. cos-1(−1/2) = 2π/3. The principal range of cos-1 is 0 to π, and cos(2π/3) = −1/2.
Step 3. sin-1(−1/2) = −π/6. The principal range of sin-1 is −π/2 to π/2, and sin(−π/6) = −1/2.
Step 4. Add with a common denominator of 12: 3π/12 + 8π/12 − 2π/12 = 9π/12 = 3π/4.
The common error is writing 4π/3 for the second term, because cos(4π/3) is also −1/2. That angle is outside the principal range. A tutor who spots this slip early saves many marks later.
Where a home tutor helps in this plan
Most students can follow the plan on paper. The trouble is keeping it up for months. A home tutor helps in four plain ways.
- Finding the real gap. A child may feel a whole chapter is hard when the real problem is weak algebra. One-to-one attention finds this quickly.
- Choosing questions. The Exemplar has many questions. A tutor tells the child which ones build skill and which ones can wait.
- Checking the working. Board exams reward clear steps. A tutor reads the working line by line and corrects the habits.
- Keeping a rhythm. A fixed day and time each week makes the plan real.
Great Home Tutors offers home tuition only. It is one-to-one, with no coaching centre and no group batch. For parents in Dwarka and in the Gurugram sectors the site lists, the process is simple. You tell us the class, subject, board and locality. A person calls you back to understand the student. You then meet the tutor, and we tell you plainly whether that tutor is verified by us or not yet. The first class is only to see the fit, before anything is fixed.
A weekly routine you can copy
This is a sample for a student who also has school and a pre-board schedule. Change it to fit your home.
- Two days: new or weak chapter from the NCERT textbook, with the tutor in one of the sessions.
- Two days: NCERT exercises of the chapter finished last week, plus a short revision of the mistake list.
- Two days: Exemplar questions of a chapter where the textbook work is already strong.
- One day: a timed paper section, or a full sample paper when most chapters are covered. Review it the next day with the tutor.
Keep one rest day a month with no Maths. A tired child learns little.
Common mistakes parents can avoid
- Buying many papers early. One paper properly reviewed is worth more than five rushed ones.
- Skipping the textbook. A child who has not solved the NCERT examples will struggle with the Exemplar.
- Judging only by marks. Look at the type of error. Careless slips and concept gaps need different fixes.
- Comparing with other children. Chapter order and pace differ from school to school.
Key takeaways
- Use the three resources in order: NCERT first, Exemplar next, sample papers last.
- Start a chapter's Exemplar only when its textbook exercises feel comfortable.
- Keep a mistake list and redo wrong questions after a gap.
- Start full timed papers once most of the syllabus is covered.
- A home tutor helps most with finding gaps, choosing questions and checking the working.
Frequently asked questions
Is it too late to start the Exemplar in November?
No. Start with the chapters where the textbook work is already strong and move chapter by chapter. Do not start every chapter at once.
Should my child do the whole Exemplar?
Not necessarily. Choose questions with the tutor. Spend time on the types your child finds hard, and skip repeats of ideas already mastered.
When should full sample papers begin?
Begin when most chapters are covered in the textbook. Write them in the real time limit, and review every paper properly with the tutor.
Does Great Home Tutors run a coaching batch?
No. It offers one-to-one tuition at your home only. You share the class, subject, board and locality, and a person calls you back to understand the student.
How do I know if a tutor is checked?
Tutors checked by us carry a Verified mark and are listed first. We tell you plainly whether a tutor is verified or not yet.
What to do next. Try it yourself on the page below.
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