ITIL Exam Details

The ITIL V3 Foundation certification exam generally follows the same lines as many of the other IT certification exams that are currently on the market (with a few minor differences). In case this is the first time you are taking an IT-related certification exam, here is a brief overview of what to expect:

• The ITIL exam itself is a closed-book exam consisting of 40 questions, all of which are multiple choice. I have yet to come across an instance where the exam is paper-based; all testing firms in my region used computer-based testing, and I expect it will be the same in your region as well.
• Each question in the ITIL exam has four choices and answering the question correctly involves choosing only ONE of these four choices.
• The candidate taking the test will have 60 minutes to answer all 40 questions.
• If you are taking the exam in a language other than your native language, then you will have 75 minutes to complete the test and you will be given access to a dictionary. Please confirm this with your testing centre before you book your exam.
• In order to successfully pass the test, a candidate will have to answer at least 26 questions correctly. In percentage terms, this means that the candidate will have to score 65% or higher to achieve a passing grade.
• At the end of the computer-based exam, the testing system will mark and grade your answers automatically and the candidate will receive the results of the test immediately.
• If the candidate fails to achieve a passing grade, they will have the opportunity to retake the exam. There is currently no limit to the number of times a candidate can retake the test.

And that’s pretty much it for the ITIL exam. Having taken the test already and passed it on the first attempt, I believe that knowing what you are getting yourself into and understanding the format of the exam can go a long way towards improving your chances of reaching the necessary passing grade, as there is unlikely to be any surprises that may throw you off your stride.