Understanding Negative Marking: A Complete Guide

Negative marking means an incorrect answer costs you marks, not just a missed opportunity — so the right strategy isn't "always attempt everything" or "never guess," it's somewhere in between, and the math is simple once you see it.

How it works

Each exam sets its own deduction — for example, 0.5 marks off for a wrong answer worth 1 mark elsewhere. Unattempted questions score zero either way, so the only real risk is answering incorrectly.

When a guess is worth it

If you can confidently eliminate even one of four options, a random guess among the rest has better expected value than leaving it blank, for most standard negative-marking ratios. A pure blind guess with all four options still open is usually close to break-even or slightly negative — better left unattempted.

Why this matters more than most students think

A handful of careless guesses can quietly erase the marks gained from your strongest section. Treat "should I guess this?" as a real decision each time, not a reflex — and review your mock test results specifically for wrong answers on questions you weren't sure about.