“Students are always stressed and worried about the GCET more than the Boards (Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary School) as this (GCET) is at a competitive level,” Anish Nagarcekar, a Taleigao-based student told Herald.
For the students whose HSSC examination concluded on March 20, the GCET has come nearly one and half month later, leading to a section of them complaining that the entrance exam should have been held closer to the end of the board exams.
Nagarcekar, who turned down his family’s wish to celebrate his 18th birthday last week, feels that there should not be such a long gap between the HSSC and GCET exams, as this compounds stress.
“GCET should be conducted immediately after the board exams or a couple of days later in April. This will keep students tension free, as we are already stressed throughout the year preparing for the Class 12 examination,” he said.
Siddhi Pai, another student from Panjim answering the GCET, agrees with these views stating they can use the time to also explore opportunities outside the State rather than be glued to books for the State level exam.
“GCET is not as tough as other competitive exams across the country. But students are stressed as they don’t want to see their performance declining. GCET should be held close to the end of the HSSC exams because many students want to try their luck outside Goa for which they have to prepare on a different line,” Pai added.
Interestingly, the students find the mathematics, chemistry and biology papers easier and request the panel of paper setters to give them tougher questions. “We all know questions will come from the syllabus then why easier questions? Students from other states are more competitive than us,” Pai, who is aiming for a seat in the Goa Medical College and Hospital, said.
Aryan coaching classes that produced toppers for eight consecutive years, feels that GCET is for ‘bottom line students’ except in the case of serious students seeking a medical seat or in allied health courses.
“Except in very few streams, one of which is medical category, GCET has remained important for bottom line students. There are many students who prefer appearing for competitive exams in other states and get through it also. This year too, many have got admissions in the counterpart states’ colleges like engineering, IT, etc,” Venkatesh Prabhudesai of the Aryan institute said.
The institute will have nearly 180 students appearing on Tuesday and Wednesday, but Prabhudesai feels there is hardly any stress for his students. “The questions are based on Class 12 syllabus. This is the simplest entrance test in the country. In other states, such exams will have questions from Class 11 and 12,” he explained.
A special police force has been deployed across 12 centres where students will appear for the crucial exam over the next two days.
