How Negative Marking Works in Admission Tests

StrategyPublished: April 1, 20265 min read

By AdmissionTestBD Team

Edited by AdmissionTestBD Team

Understanding the -0.25 penalty and when to guess vs skip. Mathematical strategies to maximize your score even with negative marking.

Most admission tests have a -0.25 negative marking for wrong answers.

The Math

If you guess 4 questions completely blindly, probability says you'll get 1 right (+1) and 3 wrong (-0.75), netting you +0.25. However, blind guessing is risky.

When to Guess

- Eliminate 2 Options: If you can confidently eliminate 2 out of 4 options, you MUST guess. The expected value is highly positive.
- Eliminate 1 Option: It is still statistically favorable to guess.
- Complete Guess: Avoid. It usually hurts your rank.

Strategy

1. First pass: Answer only 100% sure questions.
2. Second pass: Attempt questions where you can eliminate options.
3. Leave the complete unknowns blank.

How to use this guide

AdmissionTestBD articles are written as practical decision notes for Bangladesh applicants. Read the summary first, then use the verification checklist below before spending money on an application, coaching course, hostel plan, or private university admission form.

Use this guide as a planning note, then verify final marks, deadlines, eligibility, and seat counts from official circulars.
Turn each section into a checklist for your own preparation routine instead of memorizing the article passively.
Revisit the page after new circulars publish, because Bangladesh admission rules can shift between sessions.

Correction and update policy

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Editor note

This article has been reviewed and edited against the official links listed below.

Official source links

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