There is a dangerous disease among government job aspirants called “Mock Test Addiction.”
You wake up, take a mock test, score 115, feel depressed, and then take another mock test in the evening hoping to score 140. When you don’t, you blame your luck.
This is not studying; this is gambling.
If your score has been stuck between 110 and 130 for the last month, taking more tests will not help you. You are making the same mistakes repeatedly. To cross the 150+ barrier (the “Topper Zone”), you don’t need to study more; you need to study surgically.
Today, I am sharing the “3-Color Analysis Method”—a system used by top rankers to track every single mark.
The Golden Rule: 1 Hour Test = 2 Hours Analysis
This is non-negotiable.
If you spend 60 minutes taking a test, you must spend 120 minutes analyzing it. If you do not have time to analyze, do not take the test. A mock test without analysis is a waste of 60 minutes.
Step 1: The “3-Color” Filtering System
Open your Mock Test solution screen. Do not just look at the “Wrong” answers. You need to categorize your performance into three specific colors.
You need a physical notebook for this. Draw three columns.
🔴 Red Category (The “Knowledge Gap”)
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Definition: Questions you skipped or got wrong because you did not know the concept.
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Example: You saw a “Geometry Circle” question and had no idea which theorem to apply.
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The Truth: These are NOT “silly mistakes.” These are holes in your syllabus.
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Action: Watch a YouTube video on that specific topic immediately. Do not take the next mock until you fix this topic.
🟡 Yellow Category (The “Silly Mistake”)
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Definition: You knew the concept, you knew the formula, but you made a Calculation Error or Read the Question Wrong.
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Example: You calculated $12 \times 5 = 70$ in a hurry. Or you read “radius” as “diameter.”
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The Truth: This is the most dangerous category. It kills your rank more than the Red category.
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Action: Note it down in your “Mistake Notebook” (explained below). You need to slow down.
🟢 Green Category (The “Time Trap”)
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Definition: Questions you got Correct, but took too much time.
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Example: You solved a Reasoning puzzle correctly, but it took 4 minutes.
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The Truth: In SSC/Bank exams, time is money. If you spend 4 minutes on one question, you just sacrificed 3 easy questions elsewhere.
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Action: Search for “Short Tricks” for that specific question type. You need a faster method.
Step 2: Create The “Mistake Notebook” (Crucial)
You must maintain a separate notebook called the “Mistake Notebook.” Do not do this in your head. Every Sunday, read this notebook.
Format of the Notebook:
| Date | Mock No. | Subject | The Mistake (Be Specific) | The Fix |
| 12 Oct | Test 4 | Maths | Used Volume formula instead of Surface Area | Read question carefully: “Total Surface Area” |
| 12 Oct | Test 4 | English | Confused between ‘Effect’ and ‘Affect’ | Effect is Noun, Affect is Verb |
| 12 Oct | Test 4 | Reasoning | Spent 4 mins on Blood Relation | Skip “Coded Blood Relation” if it looks long |
Why this works: When you write down “I confused Radius with Diameter,” your brain registers the pain. The next time you see the word “Diameter,” your brain will trigger a warning signal.
Step 3: The “Skip Strategy” (Art of Leaving)
The difference between a 120-scorer and a 150-scorer is often not knowledge, but decision making.
You must learn to SKIP questions.
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The 30-Second Rule: If you read a Maths question and don’t know the starting step within 30 seconds, SKIP IT. Mark it for review.
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The Ego Trap: Never fight with a question. If a “Number Series” question isn’t solving, let it go. It carries the same 2 marks as the easy question next to it.
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The “Speed Breakers”: Examiners intentionally put tough calculation questions in the first 5 questions to panic you. Skip them and move to Question 6.
Subject-Wise Analysis Tips
1. Mathematics
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Check your calculation speed. If you are slow, practice “Vedic Maths” for 15 minutes daily.
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Identify which chapter is always Red. If you always miss “Trigonometry,” stop taking mocks and study Trigonometry for 3 days.
2. English
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Analyze the Options. Why was Option B wrong? Why was Option C wrong?
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Vocab questions are binary: You know it or you don’t. Note down every new word from the mock in your Blackbook/Notebook.
3. General Awareness (GK)
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Do not over-analyze GK. If you didn’t know the answer, just read the solution and move on.
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Focus on Patterns: If you see 3 questions on “Census 2011” in the last 3 mocks, that is a hint. Go study Census 2011.
The “Gap Day” Routine
Stop taking daily mocks. Your brain needs recovery and repair time.
The Ideal Schedule:
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Monday: Mock Test 1 + Analysis (3 Hours).
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Tuesday: Repair Day. Fix the “Red Topics” found on Monday. Practice 50 questions of your weak chapter.
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Wednesday: Mock Test 2 + Analysis.
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Thursday: Repair Day.
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Friday: Mock Test 3 + Analysis.
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Saturday: Revision of “Mistake Notebook.”
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Sunday: Rest / Light Reading.
Conclusion
Your score does not increase during the test. It increases in the 20 hours between Test A and Test B.
If you don’t analyze your mistakes, you are just practicing how to get questions wrong.
Start your “Mistake Notebook” today. Even if you score 80 marks, analyze it. That 80 will become 100, then 120, then 150.
Need to improve your calculation speed? Check our guide on Maths Strategy for Non-Maths Students.
