This year has seen a major change in the education system in terms of the university admissions process, with a common entrance examination introduced by the government. Among many other reasons, the core idea behind the move is to introduce critical thinking rather than just rote learning, and a common entrance exam is added as a core component in the admissions process for undergraduate courses of the current academic year.
The University of Delhi, one of the most prestigious universities, which previously considered merit-based admission process, has now come up with the current year’s Common University Entrance Test (CUET) entrance examination. Along with the University of Delhi, about 45 central universities would consider the entrance examination CUET score for the admission process. There have been active discussions around the medical entrance – NEET – and how the exam pattern is likely to change this year as well. More clarity about the admission process is expected at the end of April.
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With these sudden changes in the admission criteria, one of the key questions for students is ‘How to manage this change and plan ahead for their dream career path?’
The current group of grade 12 students has had a very daunting challenge dealing with multiple changes. On the one hand, they have been dealing with a completely new way of learning in the past two years and on the other hand, there have been many changes in their exam and evaluation process. From adapting to the MCQ pattern in exams, to a two-part board exam process, to changes in the college admissions process and exam timelines, they’ve had to adjust a lot. The most recent change they now have to face is the common admission test.
With the entrance exams and boards just around the corner, it’s that time of year again when student anxiety and stress are at their peak. This time the stress comes not only from preparing for board exams, but also from the introduction of CUCET for universities like DU, and the uncertainty surrounding it.
Tips to beat stress
Here are some tips and strategies to beat the stress and manage uncertainty in students appearing for NEET and CUCET:
Have a timetable. By preparing in a planned way, you can mark your progress and cover everything it takes to prepare. Practice lots of fake papers. They give you an idea of where you stand and also help you with time management during real exams. Cleverly revised.
With tons of resources available, you need to choose the right set of resources wisely and use them tactfully to remember, revise, and hold onto what they’ve studied. Please check your resources before taking exam dates, syllabus or course related information. Keep checking the official websites for regular and accurate updates. And finally, get into a routine, don’t panic, eat healthy and sleep well so that you have a strong mind and body to deal with the stress.
CUET has the potential to revolutionize the educational landscape, directly addressing the pressures placed on students and parents due to unrealistic school dropouts. While many have welcomed the introduction of the Common Entrance Examination, many questions have been raised about its timing by various stakeholders.
In a Mindler survey, more than 82 percent of 12th graders felt that an announcement like this should have come at the beginning of the year, not the end. Another major concern that causes stress in students is the lack of preparation time for the CUET and the preparation channels. Many parents are also concerned that this change will force them to spend more money to focus on coaching centers to prepare their students for the new entrance exams.
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Educators across the country are asking a very important question about the relevance of the education system. On the one hand, we introduced NEP 2020 which promotes more thinking and analysis in the school and now we have a common entrance exam which makes educators fear that the school experience can become very mechanical.
With these sudden changes in the admission process, it is normal for students to feel stressed and a little confused right now. We hope in the coming weeks very sharp communication from the authorities and access to preparatory resources for students to allay their concerns. Given the uncertainty that has compounded the dilemma of every grade 12 student, the role of career guidance seems more important than ever. Students need support to make the right decision, but they can only do that if they have the right information.
— Written by Prateek Bhargava, Director & CEO, Mindler
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