Taking an online exam at home: a parent’s checklist for phone, internet and microphone

An online exam at home is easy to take and easy to spoil. The usual causes are not the questions — they are a phone at 8% battery, a microphone that was never allowed, or a younger sibling walking in. This checklist is written for parents of children in Class 1 to 12, whatever exam it is, and it follows the format of the ANOQR Scholarship Exam: one hour, in a single sitting, with listening and read-aloud questions.

A few days before

• Choose the device. A phone works. A tablet or laptop is better, especially for children in higher classes who will type a short paragraph. Use the device the child already uses daily, so nothing about it feels new.
• Update the browser. Open the browser's settings and update it. An old browser is the most common reason a page "does not work".
• Sign in once in advance. Log in to the exam account, open the dashboard, and check that the child's name and standard are right. Do not discover a password problem on exam day.
• Do the microphone test. Open any page that asks for the microphone (a voice-note in a messaging app will also do). Allow it when asked. If you tapped "Block" by mistake, fix it in the browser's site settings now.

The day before

1. Charge the device fully — and keep the charger ready.
2. Pick the hour. Choose a time when the house is quiet and nobody needs the internet for something heavy. Avoid the child's tired hours.
3. Tell the family. One sentence is enough: "From four to five, please do not call or open the door."
4. Keep paper and a pencil nearby for rough work and for you to jot down anything that goes wrong.
5. Check the exam's last date. The exam is open until the last day of the month's window; do not leave it to the final evening.

Ten minutes before

• Switch the phone to Do Not Disturb. A phone call or a notification pop-up can cover the screen or interrupt the sound.
• Close other apps and browser tabs. Video calls, downloads, and streaming all eat bandwidth.
• Connect to the most stable network you have. If the Wi-Fi is weak, move closer to the router. Keep mobile data switched on as a backup but do not switch networks mid-exam unless you must.
• Put on headphones or place the speaker close, and set the volume at a comfortable level. Listening questions are only fair if the child can hear clearly.
• Seat the child at a table, back straight, device propped up. A phone held in the hand is shaky and tires the arm in an hour.
• Water and a short bathroom break before starting. The clock does not stop.

During the exam

• Let the child start on their own and stay nearby, quiet. Read the instructions together once, then step back.
• Do not help with answers. The score is meaningful only if it is the child's own, and a result that does not match their real level helps nobody.
• For the read-aloud, ask the child to speak at a normal pace, not too close to the microphone.
• Do not refresh the page or close the tab. If something looks stuck, wait ten seconds first.

If the connection drops

Stay calm. Per the exam's rules, the child can sign in again from the dashboard and continue — but the clock keeps running, so reconnect quickly. Keep the mobile hotspot ready as a backup. If something truly goes wrong, write down the time and what you saw, and send it through the exam's Contact page afterwards.

After the exam

Praise the effort, not the score. Results are announced on the 5th of the next month. Whatever the result, participants receive free courses worth ₹25,000, so the hour is never wasted.

Quick checklist to screenshot

Device charged · browser updated · signed in earlier · microphone allowed · headphones ready · Do Not Disturb on · other apps closed · best network chosen · quiet room, family told · water and washroom done.

For what to study, read our guide to preparing for the scholarship exam.