The results of the CET (Common Examination Test) for medical and engineering colleges in Maharashtra were announced today.
'CET pushes HSC to second place' observed the Times of India. 'Blackboards announding names of toppers, sweets being distributed in colleges, parents hugging toppers for cameras... ' And toppers being shown off/ felicitated by both colleges and coaching classes.
The CET result is what will determine the future of those who wish to take up medicine, engineering, pharmacy courses. Not the Physics Chemistry Maths (PCM ) or Physics Chemistry Biology (PCB) marks at the 12th class Board exam.
Aspirants to courses like BMS (Bachelor of Management Studies) must also take a CET. And for BMM (Bachelor of Mass Media), there isn't even a CET, every college holds its own entrance exam.
So to the 155, 460 students who gave the medical and engineering CET (plus BMM/ BMS aspirants), the HSC exam is a mere formality. I'm told HSC marks are used as a 'tie breaker' when students have the same CET score. And I guess it is of use if you don't get a seat in a professional course and wish to join a regular B Sc/ B A / B Com.
What I don't understand is how the introduction of CET helps anyone... I mean the HSC (Higher Secondary Certificate Board Examination) was a Common Entrance Test except it was not called one.
The difference is that the HSC is subjective while CET is objective. And CET tests the HSC portion + a little bit extra.
But what are the real advantages, if any? Is the CET more fair and transparent? Does it test aptitude for science in a better manner??
Whatever be the answer, it knocks off the Board exam from its all-important pedestal to a mere 'necessary evil'.
On a more radical note, perhaps Board Exams should be 'optional'? Yeah right, like Rakhi Sawant will start attending parties in turtle necks. But seriously, we talk of taking pressure off students. Well, that's certainly not happening!
College attitudes change
The average engineering aspirant ends up giving several entrance exams:
- JEE
- AIEEE
- BITSAT
- state CET
- in some states, private colleges are conducting a separate CET
And on top of that, the Board Exam, jo saidyon se chala aa raha hai.
Now I would not say ek hi exam hona chahiye because then everything depends on your performance on a single day.
But the result of CET gaining ground is that the focus of students is divided. Coaching classes gain even more importance - as most colleges still concentrate on HSC portions and not CET. However, that is rapidly changing.
Colleges are now tutoring students for entrance exams. According to the TOI report, Ruparel held 3 Mock CETs, KC has introduced a 'compulsory paper' on the lines of CET for science students, Vaze offers CET coaching from class 11 itself and S K Somaiya even tutored students for JEE.
Of course, this would not stop students from joining coaching classes but, it's a carrot to make them attend college. And, in future, perhaps the availability of additional, good quality coaching in certain colleges may influence the decision of which college to join after class 10.
Interestingly, 81, 765 students or 52% of test takers took BOTH the medical and engineering CET!
Which again, goes to show, that the average 17 year old hardly knows his or her mind. And can adjust equally to the idea of poring over 'Grey's Anatomy' or delving deep into electronic circuit boards.
And well, if that is the case, more power to you.
I think in the end it all boils down to temperament.
Many of us can eat whatever is put onto our plates - and enjoy it. Others are fussy eaters.
To take the analogy a bit further, like food is a means of satisfying hunger in the literal sense, a course of study is a means of satisfying 'hunger' for a good job, a secure life.
It all boils down to the question: How 'hungry' are you? And whatever food - or course - you find on your plate, can you relish it?
That is my answer to Vivek Malewar, who raises some pertinent points to my previous two posts on IIT at any cost...
The debate continues
Vivek notes: "It's a pity that people consider Engineering = Software job... Best jobs of ANY branch are high paying. Best apps. of ANY branch are hugely attractive... the IIT tag does help".
Agreed. But 'best jobs' in ANY branch go to people who are able to get over the initial disappointment of not getting the branch they desired (rightly or wrongly, based on whatever little information or spurious notions they had, CS/ Electronics do have a halo!).
The best jobs in ANY branch go to the folks who make a sincere effort to excel in their understanding of the subject. Develop a genuine liking and passion for it. And not to those who decide in 2nd year itself, "yaar MBA hi karna hai... these are just exams one needs to pass to get there".
And of course IIT is a great institution, adds excellent value and attracts some very fine students. Didn't I say that to begin with?
But as 'Viv' commented: "To assume that a topper from a non IIT is a topper only because of lack of competition would make for a great ego trip but lacks any sound reasoning...
A little humility never hurt anyone. And arrogance never takes you into the superleague of 'success'.
Saying that a 17 year old is not capable or is capable of making a sound choice regarding his career is unfair. There are a lot of pressures operating on him at that point of time. His own feelings, his parents desires, his teacher's attitude are some but not all of them. And though it is easy to say that one should go with one's heart, it is easier said than done.
ReplyDeleteSomeone who makes a choice of pursuing commerce and making it into the right colleges later may be thought of as someone who knew where he wanted to be and someone who made the same choice but failed would be called a good for nothing.
Then the plethora of exams that have come up are the need of the hour. Because the number of students giving the exams is increasing every year alongwith the number of hours these children are putting in. So these exams are an opportunity for more andmore students to prove themselves, to themselves most of all. We cant really blame the authorities for it, because it is us as a society who have put pressure on the child as well as the Govt. to do what they are doing.
And last of all its very easy to find fault in systems; their is no perfect system and as of now cant be. So instead of finding faults, let us try to work out solutions and suggest some measures that can act as guidelines to students, parents and govts alike.
Im 18 years old and trying for all the competitive examinations in engineering this year.
ReplyDeleteWhat you say about CET in Maharashtra, is actually an old fact for all of us science students. It is but natural to consider the HS Board Exams as mere obligatory, while IITJEE, AIEEE etc are the real tests. News channels have just begun covering New Delhi school toppers and asking them about their college aspirations. They then lament on how tough student life has become and what a lot of pondering and nailbiting college applications have come to demand of every student.
It seems such a pity that these reports dont cover the students studying for Engineering. We have been studying, day in and day out, in full Exam-mode, for over 6 months now. Even the New Delhi students had 3 months of break and relaxation after their boards before they had to begin worrying about colleges. Prospective engineers and medical students do not get any of that. Not to mention, if we do get it, courses begin in late July or early August. Hence, 7 months studying and tension, then immediately first year college. Where is the time to think of what you want to do in life? Engineering seems to be the only safe option, from where you can proceed to do anything you want later.
Any views?
I think I did deviate a bit from the crux of your well-built article, but really needed to get this off my chest :)
On multiple exams:
ReplyDeleteHaving gone through the grind of PCM, I can vouch that the (Maharashtra) State HSC exams are nothing but a test of cramming abilities. It is simply not designed to test any other abilities of students. That results into a few thousand students scoring 290+ out of 300 in PCM/PCB. I have seen just too many people losing out on good seats due to the difference of 1 mark. In some cases, it meant the fees increasing 8-fold.
There is an absolute need of an exam which tests the requisite abilities of the students in manner which is more fair. I'm not sure how much CET has succeeded in the mission, but the objective is clearly laudable.
On students appearing for both Medical and Engineering entrance:
The only difference in these exams is Maths is replaced by Biology. For the smarter lot, it doesn't make a difference to study one more subject and appear for exam. That keeps their options open. More often than not, its their parents who are to be blamed. "If you don't get a seat at XYZ Medical College, you can switch to CS at ABC Institute of Technology" is what parents tell the kids. And these parents are well-educated and all that!
Finally, on the debate of Institute vs Course:
Best jobs do go to the best of the lot in each stream. But they are not equal on earthly matters like salary and growth. The starting salaries of, say, Tata Steel, L&T and Infosys, are different. After a few years the difference just magnifies. I don't know about the long term (few decades), but the path is much clearer for short term.
Hi ma'm i read and follow your blogs keenly...well I m an engineering student from not so prestigious college like IITs or the like(Cochin University of Science and Technology)...but yeah I would just like to say when i took admission ....i didnt have any clue whatsoever about the course was all about...what i will be learning or unlearning in the comin' 4 years..I just knew that this is something that will land up a good job for me(well comin' from Bihar one doesnt know much abt nything except engineering,medicals and services).....i dont have the data or figures for other states....but Bihari students drop after 12th preparing for the IIT-JEE ....me being a fresher i.e someone who straight after his 12th took admission in an engineering college is seen as a surprise between my Bihari batchmates here,whose average gap is 2 years..and about the colleges and scools you have in metros like Mumbai.....in comparison many of the schools will loose their affiliation..thats it...run out off ideas here...ur blog rocks though
ReplyDeleteSuperb analysis of the higher secondary exam system.Since i was in commerce i didn't have to face so much pressure.But my friends in Science had a horrible time.6-7 seperate entrance exams,Coaching classes,HSC results tension,It was bad.
ReplyDeletei am PCM person from aamchi mumbai.. but somehow landed up working out of maharashtra..where I met people from other states who had done their engineering by taking CET's of their respective states.. i remember having serious debates with one of them where i was mentioning there is no difference between a CET & a HSC exam and his point was they are different..
ReplyDeleteLater i realised that different they are in terms of objective / subjective that they have mentioned.. One more observation I had was people from state's having CET are represented more in IIT.. probably cause all entrance test's require similar kind of preparation & orientation as oppossed to preparing for HSC-PCM.. so I guess we can see more representation of mumbai-ites in IIT's going forward..
Gr8 analysis. The plight of students.. 9and those who studied for all the exams) is really unbearable.
ReplyDeleteThey slog for HSC exams, not nowing wether that score will count or not. As a tradition.. 12th PCM / PCM marks need be in the range of 95 - 100 to get into top (Govt) colleges. So this year also, though the HSC score is NOT going to help them, they slogged.
And then therea re numerous CETs. Poor kids, they take the state CET (for medical and engg) and then the private engg CET for certain private colleges, and then CETs which are there per college.. and the regualr ones, like IITs, AIIMS, NDA, AFMC and what not. kahin toh nasseb khulega kinds. The pressure these kids and thier poor parents are sunbected to is brutal. For open seats the competition is real bad, and middle class people, (let me add open catergory as well) who can count on nothing else but the merit, are left helpless, even if their kids score in the range of 80s aonwards. Shame - real shame on the system who does that.
The engg fees these days are 40K + .. for even dud colleges ! Such a huge fee walah seat was called a payment seat in our days (am a 2001 passout) and ppl like us who got a free seat (ie a seat that is NOT a payment seat) in a Govt college could finish their engg mercifully in less than 25K ! We thot the system then was unfair ..
hi,
ReplyDeletethought provoking article. germane.
i write a lot too. would you be willing to give me a chance for your magazine?
please do read my blog and give me your feedback. please.
The one clear difference that I can think of having CET and not HSC as the qualifying exam for Engineering/Medical is that gives students more than one chance of qualifying for his/her chosen field. In the only-HSC days if a student didnt do well in HSC, they wud have to drop the idea of doing Engineering/Medical, had no choice. Now maybe they can stay at home for a year , study hard and take the CET again. I agree its not the ideal choice but if its something a person really wants, it gives them another chance to go for it. BTW, I am not sure if one can take the HSC exams again, if they missed out on a Engg/Medical seat by 5 marks. Even if they could, how many do ??
ReplyDeleteI am a REC/NIT Pass-out and almost 60-70 percent of the students who used to come from states like Rajasthan, UP , Delhi , Haryana were students who had dropped a year after their 12th to study for their CET to get their preferred college/branch.
I am not saying its right or wrong - Just stating one big difference between having HSC and CET as the qualifying exam.
Another difference in my time was that in Physics and Chemistry , 25 marks were for Practical (out of 100) , which was in the Teacher's hand. Now everyone who took private tuition from them or were their favs , would get 23 or 24 and rest wud get 17 or 18, no matter how good/bad one did. Those 7 or 8 marks wud make all the difference in the rankings for Engineering (PCM). I have been personally affected by this - I got 72 and 73 out of 75 in the papers but was let down by my teachers in the practical, pushing my rank down. With CET, its all down to the student - If they do well, they go ahead , If not, they get another chance.
gr8 article! going beyond this concern, i wud question why to have even only centralised HSC exams as well?
ReplyDeleteas u said in ur blog, having HSC exam only may give only one chance to the students, so having CET exams gives them another chance to prove themselves if they have screwed up in HSC exams..
but why do need to count only HSC's final; exam score? why can't we have centralised annual report pattern? all homeworks, all lab assignments, all mid-sem exams should be governed by HSC board, and count the performance of throughout year's effort...
ppl maggofy on the final exam..and thts the resaon thy hav added CET to prove real mental ability.. but then now ther are ways to crack the CET as well...
wht will be imp is to perform through out the year..and not in only last few days..
Good observations. Could we discuss whether preparing for IIT-JEE is enough for those appearing for CETs, etc.
ReplyDeleteHEY HI,
ReplyDeleteYOUR BLOG IS QUITE INTERACTIVE AND INFORMATIOVE.
I just read your blog and wanted to pen down few stuff and ask something.
Although today more and more students are opting for off-beat fields, the exposure given to such students and importance given to the subject is not adequate. I just gave my 12th boards this year and wish to do BMM. But the response that I received from my “well wishers” was that I won’t make enough money in such a field or the field is not government recognized!! And it was a bit disgusting to hear such a response. But when I asked some students they said that it’s worthwhile doing the course only if you’re in an “affluent” college! And such colleges are very few in Mumbai. It’s a real pity to see such a pathetic attitude towards an upcoming field like this. And I guess it’s gonna take more than few years for people to actually accept fields like bmm, bms etc. and give them their due credit.
ALSO I wanted some information regarding the entrance exam of bmm.
A more detailed information will be of great help!!!.
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