SPOM Guides · Exam Day
SPOM Exam Day: What to Carry and What to Expect
Two hours, around eighty multiple choice questions, no negative marking, and you cannot leave early. Here is how the day works and how to attempt the paper.
Read the instructions on your own admit card before the day
The day before
- Print the admit card if you have not already. Do not rely on printing it on the morning.
- Check the centre address and work out the journey. The city was your choice but the specific centre was allotted, so it may not be where you assumed.
- Confirm your ID is valid and the name matches your admit card.
- Read the instructions printed on the admit card. They govern what you may carry into the centre.
- Revise your recall sheet, not the whole book. One focused pass over the sections, thresholds, formulas and lists is worth more than rereading chapters at this stage.
The numbers and the lists. One-mark MCQs test which section, how many days, what threshold, which of these four is not. Definitions you half-remember will not survive the pressure of the room; a recall sheet you have read three times will.
What to carry
| Item | Note |
|---|---|
| Printed admit card | Essential. Print rather than relying on a phone. |
| Valid photo ID | Name must match the admit card. |
| Anything the instructions permit | Read the admit card instructions, which are authoritative. |
Rules on what may be carried into a centre vary and are updated. Whatever a guide or forum says, the instructions printed on your own admit card are the ones that apply to you. Read them.
Arriving at the centre
- Note the reporting time, which is earlier than the start time. These are different figures on the admit card and the reporting time is the one that matters for your travel planning.
- Allow for traffic and for finding the building. A centre address is not always easy to locate.
- Expect verification of your admit card and identity document at entry.
What the paper looks like
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total marks | 100 |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Questions | Around 80 |
| Format | Multiple choice |
| Most questions | 1 mark each, standalone |
| A few questions | 2 marks each, case-based |
| Negative marking | None |
| Pass mark | 50 percent |
The format is identical whichever module you are sitting. Set A, Set B, your Set C elective and your Set D paper all follow this pattern.
Two hours for around eighty questions is about ninety seconds each, which is comfortable for factual recall. Candidates who run short almost always did so by spending five minutes on two or three hard questions rather than by facing a genuinely tight paper.
How to attempt it
First pass — answer what you know
Go through the whole paper answering only what you are confident about. Do not stop to think hard about anything. This should take well under half the time and banks your certain marks first.
Second pass — the ones needing thought
Return to what you skipped, including the two-mark case-based questions and anything involving a calculation. Give each a fair attempt but keep moving rather than getting stuck.
Third pass — eliminate and guess
For anything still blank, rule out the options you can and pick from what remains. Ruling out two options takes you from one in four to one in two.
Final check — no blanks anywhere
Before you finish, confirm every single question has an answer marked. Since you cannot leave early anyway, there is no reason not to use the time.
There is no negative marking. A blank scores zero with certainty. A guess costs nothing and might be right. On a paper needing 50 percent, the questions you guess correctly are often the ones that carry you over the line.
Why you cannot leave early
Candidates are required to remain in the examination for the prescribed minimum period. For a two hour paper this means staying close to the full duration even if you have finished.
Two implications:
- Plan your day around the full two hours, plus reporting time and travel. Do not schedule anything tight afterwards.
- Use the spare time. Since you are sitting there regardless, go back over the questions you guessed. Reconsidering a few of them costs nothing and may gain marks.
After the exam
- Results appear on the SPMT portal at spmt.icai.org, against your booking on the dashboard. There is no announced result date, since tests run continuously.
- The result is pass or fail, not a mark, grade or rank.
- A pass is permanent. You never sit that module again.
- If you failed, there is no limit on attempts. Register again, pay again, book again. Learning hours for the same module do not need repeating.
- Move on to the next module rather than waiting. If your learning hours for another module are complete, you can book it immediately.
SPOM marks are not aggregated with your CA Final result. A pass gets you past a gate; it does not earn you anything. Whatever happened in the room, the sensible response is to deal with it efficiently and get back to the subjects where marks actually count.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need to carry?
A printed admit card and a valid photo identity document. Read the instructions on the admit card for anything else.
Is the exam at home or at a centre?
At a designated centre. You choose the city when booking and the specific centre is allotted and shown on the admit card.
Can I leave once I have finished?
No. You must remain for the prescribed minimum period.
How many questions will there be?
Around 80 questions for 100 marks, mostly one mark each with a few two-mark case-based questions.
Should I guess if I do not know?
Yes. There is no negative marking, so guessing is always better than leaving a blank.
Is two hours enough time?
Generally yes, at about ninety seconds a question. Work in passes rather than getting stuck on individual questions.
When will I know my result?
Check your dashboard on the SPMT portal. There is no announced result date because tests run continuously.
Centre rules, permitted items and reporting requirements are set by ICAI and appear on your admit card. Those instructions are authoritative for your particular test.
