The CCNA exam in 120 minutes: question types, simulations and pacing
CCNA 200-301 lasts 120 minutes. Cisco publishes neither the number of questions nor the pass mark, so ignore anyone quoting a percentage. You meet multiple choice, drag and drop, testlets and simulations. Read each simulation fully before typing, work through Cisco's exam tutorial before exam day and practise commands at a keyboard.
Someone on a forum will tell you the pass mark is 82 per cent. Cisco has not said so, and the number is not worth a moment of your planning.
What Cisco tells you
Both versions last 120 minutes. That is nearly all Cisco publishes. It does not state the number of questions or the passing score, which it sets statistically and may change. Anyone quoting a fixed percentage is guessing.
You do get a score report at the end, showing pass or fail and your performance by section. Cisco states that results are typically online within 48 hours. The certification then appears in Cisco's tracking system with a digital badge.
The question types
| Format | What you do |
|---|---|
| Multiple choice, one answer | Choose the single best answer |
| Multiple choice, several answers | Choose every correct answer the question asks for |
| Drag and drop | Match terms, steps or commands to their places |
| Testlet and simlet | Answer several questions about one scenario or a device you can query |
| Simulation | Configure or troubleshoot virtual devices at the command line |
Cisco does not say in advance how many of each appear. Work through Cisco's exam tutorial before exam day, because learning where the buttons are costs seconds you cannot afford mid-exam.
Why simulations take over the clock
A multiple-choice question may need a minute. A simulation needs reading, planning, typing and checking. With a fixed 120 minutes and an unknown question count, you cannot keep a per-question target. Instead, watch the clock at two points: about a third of the way through and at the half-way mark, and ask whether you are moving fast enough.
A practical routine for any simulation:
- Read the whole task first.
- Note what must change, and in which order.
- Type the commands.
- Verify with show commands or a ping.
- Move on, even if you are not fully sure.
Typing is a skill
Reading a command and recalling it under pressure are different skills. Practise at a keyboard, not in your head. If your only lab hours were spent copying from a guide, spend a week typing configurations from a blank screen.
Use the weights to decide where to practise
| Domain (v2.0) | Weight |
|---|---|
| Network Infrastructure and Connectivity | 25% |
| Switching and Network Access | 25% |
| IP Routing | 20% |
| Network Services and Security | 20% |
| AI, and Network Operations and Management | 10% |
Weights are the share of the exam, so a 25 per cent domain is roughly a quarter of what you are asked. Ignoring a 10 per cent domain still costs you more than one question.
Before exam day
- Check the version number on your booking.
- Complete the exam tutorial.
- Take two or three full timed practice exams, at least one with simulations.
- Check that no domain is far behind the others in timed sets.
A candidate in the book who rated himself 2 out of 5 on troubleshooting and OSPF gave both extra lab hours and met both in simulations on his exam. A self-rating is cheap, and an exam fee is not.
The calm minute
If a simulation seems impossible, reread the task. Many are shorter than they first look. If you still cannot solve it, record what you can and keep the time for the questions that follow.
Two full timed practice exams, one with simulations, will teach you more about pacing than any rule of thumb.
Questions readers ask
How many questions are on the CCNA exam?
What score do I need to pass CCNA?
When do I get my result?
This article is independent and is not endorsed by Cisco. Facts change: confirm them on the official page before you act.