#Know the exam before you start
NISM Series XIII is 150 questions in 180 minutes, with 25% negative marking per wrong answer. You need 60% to pass. That means accuracy matters more than attempting every question.
Exam-day rule of thumb: attempting all 150 questions is not the goal. Attempting 115-120 questions with high accuracy consistently beats attempting all 150 with guesses -- the negative marking makes guessing expensive.
#A simple attempt strategy
- Answer every question you're confident about first.
- Skip, do not guess, on anything you're unsure of -- a wrong answer costs more than a skipped one.
- Come back to skipped questions only if time allows.
#Where the marks actually are
Five chapters carry more than two-thirds of the exam between them. Study these first, not whichever feels easiest to start with.
| Chapter | Weightage |
|---|---|
| Trading, Clearing, Settlement & Risk Management | 17% |
| Introduction to the Underlying Markets | 16% |
| Strategies Using Futures | 16% |
| Introduction to Options | 15% |
| Introduction to Forwards and Futures | 13% |
#A worked example: how the scoring actually plays out
Attempting 8 of 10 questions, getting 6 right and 2 wrong, skipping 2:
Correct: 6 x 1 mark = +6.00
Wrong: 2 x -0.25 = -0.50
Skipped: 2 x 0 = 0.00
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Net score: 5.5 out of 10
Ready to start? Try Unit 1 free and see the real exam pattern for yourself.