Exam Modes & Timer
In-Paper vs Answer Sheet, timer behavior, and submission flow.
Two answer modes, one timer. Here's how they work.
Answer Modes
- Answers selected directly on the question card (radio buttons A–E)
- Visual feedback: selected option highlighted blue
- No index number required
- Submit button in sidebar (desktop) or top bar (mobile)
- Best for: practice, familiarity with paper layout
- Questions show no radio buttons — you mark answers on a separate grid
- Answer Sheet panel opens automatically at start (toggle via toolbar)
- Index number REQUIRED — must match your profile index number exactly
- Grid shows all question numbers; click to mark, click again to clear
- Color coding: unanswered (gray), answered (blue), current page (highlighted)
- Best for: simulating real O/L A/L answer sheet discipline
If your profile index number doesn't match what you type, submission is BLOCKED with an error. Update profile first if needed.
Switching modes mid-exam is allowed but answers are preserved. If you switch to Answer Sheet, you must enter your index number before you can submit.
The Timer
Countdown (Start)
- A short countdown appears before your exam begins.
- If your questions are still loading, the countdown pauses and shows a loading message instead of starting early.
Main Timer (Exam Active)
- 2 hours — fixed, not configurable.
- Shown in the sidebar (desktop) or top bar (mobile).
- Auto-submits at 0:00:00 — logs your activity and takes you to the review page.
Timer Controls
- None — you cannot pause, extend, or hide the timer.
- You can collapse the sidebar for focus; the timer stays visible.
Pagination & Navigation
- 10 questions per page (fixed)
- Sidebar: page numbers 1–N (N = ceil(total/10))
- Click page number → jump, smooth scroll to top (next) or bottom (prev)
- Bottom of paper: Previous / Next buttons + "Page X of Y"
What Happens at Time Expiry
No grace period. At 0:00:00 the exam submits automatically. Unanswered questions score 0.
Your answers are scored, the attempt is logged to your dashboard, and you're taken straight to the review page.
Submission Flow (Manual)
- Click Submit (toolbar button or Answer Sheet panel).
- Confirm — you'll see how many questions are still unanswered, if any.
- In Answer Sheet mode, your index number must match your profile before submission goes through.
- Your answers are scored and logged, and you're taken to the review page.
Summary Table
| Feature | In-Paper | Answer Sheet |
|---|---|---|
| Radio buttons on questions | ✅ | ❌ |
| Separate answer grid | ❌ | ✅ |
| Index number required | ❌ | ✅ (must match profile) |
| Auto-open panel | ❌ | ✅ (at start) |
| Submit location | Sidebar / Top bar | Answer Sheet panel |
| Visual answer tracking | Per-question highlight | Grid colors |