Multiple choice makes the difference in WBJEE

Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, May 21, 2007
Despite scepticism about multiple-choice questions for WBJEE, the decision was vindicated when many successful candidates in this years’ exam credited their performance to that fact.
Take the case of Abhishek Rai who passed his Class XII exams in 2004 from Kendriya Vidyalaya in Burdwan. After three failed attempts, he topped the medical entrance exams this year. “Multiple-choice questions are a part of most all-India competitive exams. So, when WBJEE stared the MCQ pattern, I did not require separate preparation and that had a lot to do with my improved performance,” the topper said.
Monodeep Kar of Uttarpara Government High School has come 2nd and 9th in the engineering and medical entrance exams respectively. Monodeep is keen to study computer science at any IIT and would wait till the announcement of IITJEE results, before making the final decision. Contesting the opinion of many state board students, his father Nirmal said, “MCQ cannot be a problem for students of any board if they study their textbooks thoroughly. On the contrary, it helps them prepare for a wide range of competitive exams.”
Rubaina Siddique has come 7th in the medical entrance on her third attempt. Currently, studying B.Tech in information technology from the Calcutta Institute of Technology, Rubaina cannot wait to step inside Medical College. “I have always aspired to become a doctor and this time I feel the MCQ pattern made all the difference. While taking the exam we have to think about the answer but if choices are provided and one has studied well, it becomes easier to choose the correct answer,” she said.
The West Bengal Board of Joint Entrance Exam has decided to retain the MCQ pattern, but they would be introducing a new element for next years’ exams. Announcements would be made later.
“This years’ results prove that state board students are comfortable with the MCQ pattern. Since this pattern is followed in IITJEE and All-India Engineering Entrance Exam (AIEEE), the task of preparing for these exams will become easier,” said V.K. Shome, principal of Pathfinder, a popular coaching institute.
Continuing last few years’ trend, lesser-known schools — many from the districts — have outshone their more well-known city counterparts in this years’ WBJEE.
The top position for engineering has gone to Subhasish Das of Bolpur Nichupati Nirad Barani High School, while the medical entrance topper is from Burdwan, as mentioned earlier. Kolkata schools have failed to secure a place in the top 10, apart from Uddipata Maity of Araidaha Kalachand High School who stood 4th and South Point High School student Aashish Kumar, who came 6th in engineering. Also, two students from Rajasthan have featured in the WBJEE top-ten.
However, from next year, outstation exams centres have been abolished and candidates will have to travel to the state to sit for the exam. Also, from this year, successful medical candidates will have to produce a domicile certificate, failing which their admission will be cancelled.
Talking about the failure of city candidates to secure top spots in the exams, N.R. Banerjea, chairman of the WBJEE board, said, “This definitely does not mean that city students are bad. It only shows that the format of the exam has been accepted by students all over and meritorious students have outperformed others.”
mou.hindustantimes@yahoo.com