Campus buzz: Maharashtra-led online aptitude test draws mixed reactions

As many as 15,75,253 students appeared for the online test.

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Hardik Bhosle of St Paul’s High School, Dadar, is satisfied with the 30-min-long test which had 150 questions.

“It was easy and short, giving more clarity about our own interests and skills,” he said.

While he wants to be an IAS officer or a doctor, another student, Kaustub Bhoir, said that the questions were more career-oriented.

“I now have a better idea of which field to venture in,” he said.

“It is the need of the hour. Children don’t know which subjects to take and which stream to pursue. Once you drop from math and science in class 11, you close so many options for the future. Guidance is a must at this level for students to tap their potential fully,” said one parent.

On the contrary, Melvin D’Souza, father to class 10 student Neel and a resident of Lower Parel, said, “The test doesn’t give a real picture of what the child is really capable of because interests change with time. The test is just to pacify parents who should give their children a little time to figure out what they want instead of mounting pressure on them.”

He added, “My son is passionate about music, but the test result says he is inclined towards engineering. It is just beating around the bush and did not analyse him properly.”

Sarita Sahni, acting principal and supervisor of Gurunanak Higher Sr Sec School and Jr College in Dadar, said, “Students come to us asking about the right streams and courses for them, and it is a little difficult to just tell them like that.

The online-based Aptitude Test is a very good initiative by the government and will prove beneficial for students.”

Some teachers said the test should be conducted earlier in class 10 or 9.

Sahni, however, said: “It was conducted at the right time as students have completed studying the syllabus by February and are mentally prepared for the exam, and hence which subjects to choose thereon.”

Psychologist Jagruti Laijawala, who has worked for 15 years with ICSE schools as a special educator, said the test should be conducted in schools other than those affiliated to SSC board also, like CBSE and ICSE schools in the state.

Psychiatric counsellor Dr Kamini Bhoir adds, “The aptitude test conducted was interest-inventory, determining solely the interest of the child, and not whether she or he has the ability to pursue that interest further.”

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