The two-pass rule: how toppers use “Mark for Review” in a CBT
In a computer-based test, the question palette and “Mark for Review” flag are a scoring tool — not decoration. Here is the two-pass method that stops you leaving easy marks behind.
- The mistake: attempting a CBT top-to-bottom, getting stuck on Q7, and running out of time before easy questions at the end.
- The fix: two passes — first sweep the whole paper for everything you can solve fast, then return to the flagged hard ones.
- “Mark for Review” is the tool: it flags a question to come back to without forcing you to answer or skip it blindly.
- Rehearse it: the strategy only works if the palette and flag feel automatic before exam day — practise on a real interface.
In a computer-based test, the question palette down the side of the screen is not decoration — it is a scoring tool.The students who use it well don't know more than you; they just stop leaving easy marks behind. The method has a name — the two-pass rule — and it rests entirely on one button most students never learn to use: Mark for Review.
The problem the palette solves
✓ The most common avoidable mistakeAttempt a paper strictly top-to-bottom and one hard question early on — say Q7 — can quietly eat eight minutes. You dig in because giving up feelslike losing a mark, and then the timer runs out before you reach three easy questions sitting at the end of the paper. You didn't lose marks on the hard question; you lost them on the easy ones you never saw.
You rarely lose a CBT on the hard questions. You lose it on the easy ones you ran out of time to reach.
The two-pass method
Split the paper into two sweeps instead of one:
- Pass 1 — bank the certain marks. Go through the entire paper once. Answer only what you can solve quickly and confidently. The moment a question needs real thinking, flag it with Mark for Review and move on. Do not stall.
- Pass 2 — spend the rest on the flagged ones. Come back to the marked questions with every easy mark already banked and a clear view of the clock. Now you can budget the remaining time deliberately across the genuinely hard ones.
Using “Mark for Review” well
The flag exists precisely so you can defer a question without the two bad alternatives: forcing an answer now, or skipping it and forgetting it exists. Used well, the palette becomes a live map of your paper — answered, unanswered, and marked-for-review — so Pass 2 is a short, clear list rather than a frantic scroll.
| One-pass, top-to-bottom | Two-pass with Mark for Review |
|---|---|
| Stall on the first hard question | Flag it in seconds and keep moving |
| Easy questions at the end go unseen | Every easy mark banked in Pass 1 |
| Time pressure hits randomly | Time pressure isolated to flagged questions |
| No map of what’s left | Palette shows exactly what to revisit |
Common two-pass mistakes
- Flagging too much. If half the paper is flagged, Pass 1 didn't do its job. Flag only what genuinely needs more thought.
- Not recording a guess. On most NTA interfaces you can select an option and mark for review — bank a best guess before you move on, then refine it in Pass 2.
- Forgetting negative marking. Pass 2 is also where you decide which flagged questions are worth a risk. That's a separate skill — see when to guess and when to leave it.
Why you must rehearse it
Reading this changes nothing on exam day. The palette, the flag, and the on-screen timer only help if they feel automatic under pressure — and that only comes from full-length mocks on a real CBT interface, not on paper. Practise the two-pass rule until it's a habit, and the format stops costing you marks.
Akriva runs exactly this: NTA-style online tests with a real palette and mark-for-review, on verified questions, with a chapter-wise report afterwards. Start free and rehearse on the real thing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the two-pass strategy in a computer-based test?
What does “Mark for Review” actually do?
How do I practise the two-pass method before the exam?
General CBT strategy consistent with NTA exam interfaces (question palette, mark-for-review, on-screen timer). Confirm your exam’s exact interface on the official mock test for your year.