MHT-CET 2012 conducted by Directorate of Technical Education, Maharashtra is defnitely one of the biggest engineering and medical entrance tests of the year considering over 3 lakh students took the exam this year. Its also very elusive in a sense that students do not get the question papers to take back and so most of them are usually clueless as to what score to expect of the same. The exam was conducted in three batches – Physics/Chemistry, Biology and Math – each 1.5 hours. Gyancentral visited the Mumbai centres of MHT-CET and caught up with students walking.
Harsh Taskar appeared for the exam from AK Joshi college, Thane. This was his first attempt at MHT-CET and Harsh says with much delight that the paper was easy. Taskar who is a student of DAV Public School, Airoli attended coaching classes at Pace Academy. He says, "The paper was very very easy. No tricks, no toughies. Only Physics was a little lengthy because there was more solving in that one. But not much in Chemistry. It was mostly theory questions. Math was very very easy. I think the cut off will be very high this year as the paper was very easy."
While the likes of Taskar had a happy face walking out, there were quite a few who looked rather nonplussed. But the reason for that is pretty valid too. Says Nilesh Shinde, a student of Ruia College, Matunga, "They took the question papers back. I was really surprised they did that. I dont understand why they cannot give us the papers. I couldnt really complete the paper because Physics was lengthy and if I had the question paper now, I would have some idea how much I might score. But I dont. But yes, the paper was very easy. Nothing to fret about. Shinde now hopes he does better in BITSAT, the only other entrance test he is taking this year."
Akanksha Dixit, a Biology student, who appeared for her test at Saraswati Vidyalaya, Airoli also couldn't complete the paper but she is confident of her accuracy. She says, "I am so relieved this is over. The paper was so easy. I have solved some previous years' papers of MHT-CET. But I think this year was the easiest. Biology was easy too. I am looking at a cut off but I think I will be able to make the cut for medical. Lets see." On asking how she knows her marks would be good as she didnt recieve the question paper, Dixit says, "Oh yes, they dont give papers. Its really weird. But then I could complete and then had time to even count my corrrect answers. So I am expecting good marks."
Vasant Vihar School student Roopkumar Negi agrees with Dixit. "Physics was really very lengthy. Actually, as an individual paper it wasnt. There were 50 questions only. Chemistry also had 50 questions. So we had to solve both sections in 90 minutes. Whereas Math was also 50 questions and we got 90 minutes for that. So I solved Chemistry first and then for Physics I didnt find much time. 100 questions in 1.5 hours wasnt an easy target. Thankfully, Chemistry didnt involve much solving. But then I had to randomly mark answers towards the end."
Most students, just like Negi were disappointed with the exam due to the 1.5 hours given to two sections put together. Rahul Shankar who took the test from Manisha Vidyalaya, Kalwa found the first paper to be very lengthy. "You cannot finish a 100 questions paper in 1.5 hours. I completed Chemistry first and after that Physics involed a lot of solving. So I coudnt complete it." Expressing relief at the level of questions, Shankar says, "but I am glad the paper was easy. I persoanlly felt Chemistry had a lot of organic Chemistry. So more theory and we could solve it faster. Math was very very easy. Two marks for each question and questions were simple and straight. So solved it pretty comfortably."
Overall, students came out smiling and relieved that MHT-CET which sure is otherwise a very dreaded paper and quite the decider for engineering and medical admissions was easy this year. The only fear, if any, is that if it was easy, the cut offs would be very high this year and so its more or less relative now whether a student makes it or not.