CET results may be delayed

MUMBAI, MAY 26: Results of the Common Entrance Test CET for medical courses in the state conducted on May 23 are likely to be delayed d...

MUMBAI, MAY 26: Results of the Common Entrance Test CET for medical courses in the state conducted on May 23 are likely to be delayed due to complaints from students who were confused by the procedure adopted for conduct of the test. The delay, necessitated by the need to manually check some papers, will postpone the declaration of results by about four days, ie, till June 20, according to vice-chancellor of the Maharashtra University for Health Sciences MUHS Dr Dayanand Dongaonkar.

The state government8217;s Department of Medical Education and Drugs has dismissed any goof-ups in the question papers of the CET, saying the procedure adopted during the examination was intended to curb copying and was not a slip-up. Referring to news reports on the matter, Medical Education Secretary, T C Benjamin, told Express Newsline that students need not panic.

At a press conference convened at Nashik today, Dr Dongaonkar similarly maintained that the system is fool-proof. In fact, he said, manual checking will be conducted as a back-up.

The university had deliberately prepared four sets of question papers in each subject by changing the sequence of questions while keeping the questions per se the same. This was done to minimise the chances of copying during the examination. However, the procedure had led some students to believe that they had received the wrong papers, which is not the case. Any discrepancy in the question booklet version will be rectified manually, Dr Dongaonkar said.

Candidates who received one version of the question paper and were then given another version should not think they were given computer-based predetermined booklets by versions and serial numbers, he said.

Dr Dongaonkar said a five-member committee has been set up to monitor and review the entire CET.

In the event of a delay in assessing the CET answer-sheets due to Sunday8217;s confusion, the earlier six to eight days may extend to 10 to 12 days. The tentative date for the results has thus been pegged at June 20. Of the total 39,504 students who took the CET on Sunday, only five candidates had complained.