Exam performance depends not just on study time but memory strategy. India Today highlights six quick, science-backed hacks that help your brain recall information faster, longer, and more effectively without cramming. 

1. Visual Imagery – Attach bold, vivid pictures or mental scenes to facts. Your brain remembers images far more easily than plain words.
2. Chunking – Break large blocks of information into smaller, meaningful groups so 50-line definitions become manageable “chunks” you can hold in memory.
3. Active Recall – Instead of rereading notes, close the book and quiz yourself. Actively retrieving facts strengthens memory pathways better than passive review.
4. Spaced Practice – Distribute study sessions over time rather than cram. Revisiting content at intervals helps the information move to long-term memory.
5. Teaching Others – Explaining concepts reinforces your own understanding. Teaching forces clarity and reveals gaps consider this your easiest self-test.
6. Mnemonics – Create acronyms, rhymes, or catchy phrases to encode lists or terms. These memory shortcuts make tricky sequences easier to retrieve under stress.

Together, these hacks form a smart, low-effort study toolkit, perfect for short bursts or pre-exam refresh sessions.