The adoption of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) scores, instead of Class 12 marks, for undergraduate admissions from this year, has seen a sharp fall, 79 percent, in the number of Kerala students getting admissions to the Delhi University colleges this time.

Why did we fail?
Earlier, a lot more students from the state had managed to make it to the prestigious colleges in the national capital. It is true that the system of leniently awarding marks in the board exams helped them easily cross the cut-off mark hurdle. There is no scope for that anymore with the introduction of the CUET.

Another reason is that the students from schools affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) found the multiple-choice exam method comparatively easy. Such a method is not there in the Kerala syllabus.

Though the students from the Science stream have some familiarity with the multiple-choice questions, thanks to their preparations for entrance examinations like NEET, JEE, and KEAM, those from the Humanities stream had no exposure at all.

The students from Kerala also didn’t make serious preparations like those from the big cities elsewhere, as the CUET exams were held for the first time. Many had no clear idea of the complex nature of the question paper.

A good study plan
Though there was a setback this time, there is no reason for losing heart. We can achieve success next year if we have a good study plan. Students should start preparing for the CUET examination along with their Class 12 studies. Keep in mind the following points:

• One should make a prior choice of the Languages, Science, and Humanities subjects in which they are seeking admission. It is based on this that they have to decide on the papers for which they will be appearing. The exam model last year was complex in nature. It’s not clear whether the authorities will follow the same style or switch over to a lighter one. It’s better to have a clear picture of last year’s model.

• The CUET General Paper is as important as the subjects that a student chooses. It’s important they have a clear idea of the same. It augurs well if one goes through the YouTube videos explaining the CUET syllabus and exam.

• One will get a vague idea of the question pattern of General and subject papers by examining last year’s question papers. Practice them after setting the time on your watch.

• The new generation central universities like Kerala and Tamil Nadu had held common entrance tests until 2021, by the name of CUCET (Central Universities Common Entrance Test). Practice the question papers of these exams too.

• You may get two to three months in between the CUET exam and the Plus Two exams. Use this period effectively for revision and last stage crash practice.

Teachers' efforts
• It’s imperative that the students should get proper guidance on the CUET exam at the school level itself. The teachers should ensure they provide an insight of the participating Universities and colleges, especially the major institutions like the Delhi University colleges, Hyderabad & Pondicherry varsities, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, etc., and the courses available there, to the students and their parents.

• The Career Guidance and Adolescent Counselling Cell under the Higher Secondary Education department can make meaningful interventions for preparations at the school level.

• The Cell, with the support of the district panchayat, provided offline coaching to students in the Malappuram district last year. The Malappuram candidates performed better than their counterparts from other districts in the CUET exam. If we can extend the model to other districts, the students from the state can fare well next time.

• The Cell also provided online coaching, though on a minor scale, through WhatsApp groups formed by including students from various districts last year. It can expand the model to extend the benefit to a larger section this time. Maximum mock tests should be conducted.

• Last time, many who took the General subject test didn’t appear for Subject paper exams. This points towards the need to provide proper guidelines and sensitize parents on the importance of the CUET examination.

What can the society do?
The exemplary interference of Malappuram corporation last year is an apt model to show what local-self institutions and people’s representatives can do to help students put up a better performance at the test conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) to enroll candidates into various UG programmes of central universities.

The corporation tied up with a private agency and provided free entrance coaching to 240 students from five schools within its jurisdiction. A total of 120 students among them sat for the exam. 31 got admission to colleges under Delhi University, while 33 others at other central universities. The fact that similar preparations are underway at a few more places gives much hope for a far better performance from Kerala students at the CUET examination next time.

“We’re considering the provision of special coaching classes to students in over 30 subjects of the CUET this time around. The discussions on finalizing the coaching programme are progressing. A help desk too will function to aid students on all matters from submission of applications. The videos prepared by the cell last time are still available on YouTube,” said P M Asim, state co-ordinator, Career Guidance and Adolescent Counselling Cell, Department of Higher Secondary Education.