Negative marking in entrance exams: a simple way to think about guessing

Most Sainik School, Navodaya and RMS papers deduct a fraction of a mark for a wrong answer. That changes the math on when guessing is worth it.

If you can eliminate even one option with confidence, the expected value of guessing among the rest is usually still positive. If you have no idea at all, leaving the question blank is almost always the better call.

Practising this decision under a timer — not just untimed — is what makes it automatic on exam day.