Exam time calculator
Time per mark
2.06 min
2 min 4 s for each mark
- Time to write
- 2 h 45 min
- Writing starts
- 10:30 am
- Checking from
- 1:15 pm
- Paper ends
- 1:30 pm
A question worth
Practise against the real length with the exam clock: set it to 3 hours with 15 minutes of reading.
Your time plan
3 hours, 80 marks: 2.06 minutes a mark.
| Part | Finish by | Time | Each question | Marks | From |
|---|
Finish-by times are rounded down to the minute, so the plan runs slightly early rather than late.
Exam time calculator — minutes per mark and a finish-by plan
Type the exam length, the marks and the time you want for reading and checking. Add your sections, and get minutes per mark, time per question and the clock time to finish each one by.
The short answer
Divide the time you have for writing by the total marks. On a CBSE 3-hour, 80-mark paper, keeping 15 minutes back for checking leaves 165 minutes, or 2.06 minutes a mark: about 2 minutes for a 1-mark question and 10 minutes 19 seconds for a 5-mark one. The 15 minutes of reading time comes before the 3 hours, so it is extra. With no time kept for checking, it is 2.25 minutes a mark.
Four steps to a time plan
Step 1: Set the paper
Type the exam length and total marks, or tap a preset such as CBSE 80 marks. Say whether the reading time comes before the paper or out of it.
Step 2: Keep time for checking
Type the minutes you want at the end to read your answers back. That time is taken off before the marks share out the rest.
Step 3: Add your sections
Add a row for each section with its marks and number of questions, or leave the rows empty for minutes per mark alone.
Step 4: Read the plan
Type the start time to get the clock time to finish each section by. Print the plan or copy it, and keep it beside you when you practise.
Minutes per mark for common papers
Each row keeps the checking time shown back from the end and shares the rest out by marks. Reading time before the paper is extra and not counted.
| Paper | Marks | Kept for checking | Minutes per mark | 1-mark question | 5-mark question |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour | 40 | 5 min | 1.38 | 1 min 23 s | 6 min 53 s |
| 1½ hours | 60 | 10 min | 1.33 | 1 min 20 s | 6 min 40 s |
| 2 hours | 80 | 10 min | 1.38 | 1 min 23 s | 6 min 53 s |
| 3 hours (CBSE) | 70 | 15 min | 2.36 | 2 min 21 s | 11 min 47 s |
| 3 hours (CBSE) | 80 | 15 min | 2.06 | 2 min 4 s | 10 min 19 s |
| 3 hours | 100 | 15 min | 1.65 | 1 min 39 s | 8 min 15 s |
CBSE board papers run for 3 hours, 10:30 am to 1:30 pm, with 15 minutes of reading from 10:15 in which nothing may be written. Theory papers are out of 80, or 70 in subjects with practicals such as Class 12 Physics.
Keeping to the plan
Plan against the finish-by time
"Section C done by 12:09" is easier to check mid-paper than "37 minutes for section C". Write the finish-by times on your rough sheet when the paper arrives, then glance at the clock between sections.
Move on when the time is up
A question that has had its minutes and is half done is usually worth leaving: the next question's first marks come faster than this one's last. Mark it and come back in the checking time.
Reading time is for choosing
Where reading comes before the paper, as in CBSE's 15 minutes, use it to pick your internal choices and the order you will answer in. It is not taken from the writing time.
Practise to the plan, not to a countdown
In a mock paper, run the exam clock at the real length and check yourself against the plan's times. Pacing is learned against a real clock, not worked out on the day.
Questions people ask
Anything we've missed?
How do I work out minutes per mark?
Take the time you have for writing, which is the exam length minus any time you keep back for checking, and divide it by the total marks. A 2-hour, 80-mark paper with 10 minutes for checking gives 110 ÷ 80 = 1.38 minutes a mark.
How much time per mark on a CBSE 3-hour paper?
For an 80-mark paper, 2.25 minutes a mark if you use all 3 hours, or 2.06 if you keep 15 minutes for checking. For a 70-mark paper, 2.57 or 2.36. The 15 minutes of reading before the paper is extra and not counted.
How much time should I spend on a 5-mark question?
Multiply its marks by your minutes per mark. On a CBSE 80-mark paper with 15 minutes for checking that is about 10 minutes 19 seconds; on a 70-mark paper, about 11 minutes 47 seconds.
Is reading time part of the exam time?
In CBSE board exams it is not: the paper is handed out at 10:15 for 15 minutes of reading, with no writing, and the 3 hours run from 10:30 to 1:30. Some schools take reading out of the exam length instead; the calculator has a switch for either.
How long should I keep for checking?
Ten to fifteen minutes on a 3-hour paper is common advice, and less on a short test. It is your choice, not a board rule. The calculator takes it off the end before sharing the time out by marks, so the plan always leaves it free.
Does it work for sections and questions?
Yes. Add a row for each section with its marks and number of questions. Each row gets its share of the time, the time for each question, and the clock time to finish it by. Marks not covered by a row get an Other questions row of their own.
Can it start the exam clock for me?
No. The plan links to the exam clock, which you set to the paper's length and reading time yourself, then project or keep open beside you.
Is anything I type sent anywhere?
No. The arithmetic runs in your browser, and nothing is saved or uploaded. There is no account.
Guides worth reading
- Exams
How to split a 3-hour exam: a section-by-section time plan for CBSE papers
A section-by-section time plan for a 3-hour CBSE paper, with finish-by times from 10:30 to 1:30, for 80-mark Maths and 70-mark Physics.
7 min read - Exams
How to time an exam: start, finish, reading time and extra time
Start the clock when the paper begins, time reading separately, add extra time to the finish: 25% on 2 hours is 30 minutes. Free exam clock, no sign-up.
5 min read - Exams
Minutes per mark: how to plan your time in an exam
Divide your writing time by the total marks to get minutes per mark. Worked examples for 1-hour to 3-hour papers, CBSE included, and how to use the figure.
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