Start four weeks before the exam. First get the exact portion from the school, list its chapters, and rate each one green, amber or red. Revise the red chapters first using recall (closing the book and explaining), practise amber ones with timed questions, and keep the last two days light. Do not try to relearn everything. The aim is to find and fix the weakest chapters while there is still time. Ask the school for the portion, because each school decides which chapters its half-yearly covers.
Step 1: get the portion in writing
Each school decides which chapters its half-yearly exam covers, and the dates. Before you plan anything, ask your child's class teacher or check the school diary or app for the portion, the exam timetable and the paper pattern. Then write the chapters in a simple table, one per subject, like this.
| Subject | Chapter | Rating (green, amber, red) | Date revised |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maths | (write each chapter in the portion) | ||
| Science | |||
| Social Science | |||
| English | (lessons, grammar and writing topics) |
Copy this onto paper or a spreadsheet. Seeing the whole portion on one page is often enough to lower the panic.
To get a sense of the size of each book, here is how many chapters NCERT's 2026-27 books have. Your school's portion will be only some of these.
| Subject | Class 6 | Class 7 | Class 8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maths (Ganita Prakash) | 10 chapters | 15 chapters (Parts I and II) | 14 chapters (Parts I and II) |
| Science (Curiosity) | 12 chapters | 12 chapters | 13 chapters |
| Social Science (Exploring Society) | 14 chapters | 20 chapters (Parts 1 and 2) | 15 chapters (Parts 1 and 2) |
| English (Poorvi) | 5 units | 5 units | 5 units |
Chapter counts from the contents pages of the 2026-27 editions. See our syllabus guides for Class 6, 7 and 8 for every chapter name.
Step 2: rate every chapter green, amber or red
Do this honestly and quickly, in about an hour with your child. For each chapter in the portion, ask them to explain the main idea in two or three sentences without opening the book, or solve two questions from the end of the chapter.
- Green: they explain it or solve it easily. A quick recall later is enough.
- Amber: they get most of it but hesitate or make mistakes. Needs timed practice.
- Red: they cannot explain it or get stuck. Needs the book re-read, an example worked together and then practice.
This one hour tells you where the next four weeks should go. Most children turn out to have a handful of red chapters, not an entire subject. If red chapters keep appearing in the same subject, it may point to a gap from an earlier class; our guide on why marks drop in Classes 6 to 8 explains how to find it.
Step 3: the four-week plan
| Week | Focus | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Plan and fix the reds | Get the portion, rate chapters, collect notes and corrected tests. Start on the red chapters, one or two a day, in the subject that worries you most. |
| Week 2 | Finish the reds, start the ambers | Re-read, work examples, then close the book and explain. Start timed practice on amber chapters. |
| Week 3 | Practise like the exam | Do timed sections from each subject. Mark them with your child and write down every lost mark in an error log (did not know, misread, careless, ran out of time). |
| Week 4 | Mock paper and light revision | One full mock paper in each subject under exam timing. Fix the errors it shows. In the last two days revise only the error log and key points, and sleep well. |
For a typical Class 6 to 8 child, an hour to an hour and a half a day of focused revision is a sensible rough guide, on top of normal homework. Sleep matters more than an extra hour: tired children recall less. Our wider guide to half-yearly exam preparation for Classes 6 to 10 has more on routine and parent support.
Not sure which chapters are red? In a free 30-minute demo class a tutor works through a chapter your child finds hard, and you see where the gap is before the exam. No commitment.
Maths: practise, do not just read
Maths is not learned by reading. The best revision is to redo questions from the end of each chapter without looking at the solution, then check. A few chapter-aware ideas follow.
- Class 6: Fractions and The Other Side of Zero (negative numbers) are new ideas, and Prime Time needs fast multiplication and division facts. Spend extra time on these three.
- Class 7: Algebra begins here (Expressions using Letter-Numbers in Part I and Finding the Unknown in Part II), and NCERT notes that congruence and central tendency are new to students. Revise these with worked examples and then fresh questions.
- Class 8: Algebra appears in two places (the distributive law in Part I and Algebra Play in Part II), and proportional reasoning runs across both parts. These are good chapters to practise with mixed questions.
- For every class: keep a one-page formula sheet, and an error log of every mistake with one line on why it happened.
Our guide to improving your child's maths marks has a longer routine.
Science: explain the activity
NCERT's Science books are built around activities and questions, so questions often ask why something happens, not just what it is called. For each red or amber chapter, ask your child to explain one activity from it in their own words, draw the key diagram from memory and write the important terms with one-line meanings. Class 6's Curiosity has 12 chapters, Class 7's has 12 and Class 8's has 13, so a chapter a day for the red ones is realistic. See our science revision tips.
Social Science: maps, timelines and short answers
Social Science has the longest portion, so it is where a weekly habit pays off. For each chapter, make a one-page summary with three to five key points, a small timeline for history chapters, and practise locating places on a map for geography chapters. Practise writing answers as three to five clear points rather than long paragraphs. Our social studies study tips show how.
English: read, retell and write
For the lessons in Poorvi, ask your child to retell each one in four or five sentences, say what the main message was and explain two difficult words. For writing, practise the formats the school uses, such as a letter or a short paragraph, in a set time. For grammar, practise from the school's own worksheets. Our guides on reading comprehension and English writing give routines.
Expect some application-style questions
Many schools now include questions that ask children to apply an idea in a new situation, in line with CBSE's competency-focused approach. To practise, change the numbers or the story in a textbook question and see whether your child can still solve it. Our guide to competency-based questions explains the idea.
How parents can help without adding pressure
- Protect sleep and meals. Revision after a bad night is mostly wasted.
- Keep a visible plan. A one-page timetable on the wall is better than reminders.
- Ask, do not quiz. "Explain this chapter to me" works better than "Why have you not finished?".
- Do not compare. Another child's schedule tells you nothing about yours.
- Plan breaks. A short walk or play after each study block keeps energy up. See our Diwali and winter break study plan for how to protect the holidays.
After the exam
When results arrive, look at where marks were lost, not just the total. Our guides to reading a half-yearly report card and parent-teacher meeting questions show how to turn the result into a specific plan.
Where tuition fits
Short, targeted help before exams works best when it goes to the red chapters, not a general re-teach. TutorHive's online tuition for Classes 5 to 12 covers maths, science, English and social studies, with lessons that stay close to the school syllabus. You can watch a free 30-minute demo class before deciding anything. See our syllabus guides for Class 6, Class 7 and Class 8.
Frequently asked questions
How early should I start preparing for half-yearly exams?
About four weeks before the exam is a good target. That is enough time to rate the chapters, fix the weak ones with recall and practice, and do a mock paper, without turning the weeks before the exam into a scramble.
How many hours a day should a Class 6 to 8 child revise?
As a rough guide, an hour to an hour and a half of focused revision a day, on top of normal homework, is enough for most children. The quality of that time matters more than the number of hours, and sleep matters more than an extra hour of study.
What if the portion is very large?
Rate the chapters green, amber and red and spend most of your time on the red ones. Green chapters need only a quick recall. A large portion feels smaller once you can see where the real gaps are.
Should we hire a tutor just before the exam?
A tutor can help if they focus on the specific chapters that are red and use the time for explanation and practice. A general re-teach just before an exam is rarely worth it. A short trial class can show whether the tutor can find the gap quickly.
My child says they know everything but forgets in the test. What should I do?
This usually means they recognise the chapter but cannot recall it. Replace re-reading with recall: close the book, explain the chapter aloud or write it out, then check. Timed practice questions also expose gaps that re-reading hides.
What if my child panics before exams?
Keep routines steady, protect sleep and break the work into small pieces. Talk about the plan rather than the result. If anxiety is strong or lasts more than a couple of weeks, speak to the school counsellor. In India, Tele-MANAS, the national mental health helpline, can be reached on 14416.
Related guides
CBSE Half-Yearly Exam Preparation, Classes 6-10
CBSE Class 6 Syllabus 2026-27: Chapter-Wise Guide
CBSE Class 7 Syllabus 2026-27: Chapter-Wise Guide
CBSE Class 8 Syllabus 2026-27: Chapter-Wise Guide