The National Eligibility Test (NET) held on Sunday saw a huge turnout of students from Maharashtra taking the test, also a mandatory requirement for aspiring teachers of degree colleges.
According to officials, the number of candidates taking the test in Mumbai also went up by nearly 2,000 and stood at 11,057. Candidates, who attempted the test, said that while the first two papers were relatively easier, the third subject paper was tough.
Speaking about the first test of the year, Dr D. Harichandan, NET/SET coordinator of Mumbai said that the test went off without any glitches. In addition, as the candidates were asked to start early due to the megablock on the Central line, a very small number reached the test centres late.
“The test was held at six centres in the eastern suburbs — three colleges in Chembur and three at Ghatkopar. In the western suburbs, students wrote the test at the three test centres in the University of Mumbai’s Kalina campus. As the number of late-comers was minimal at the eastern suburb centres, most of them were allowed to give the test,” said Dr Harichandan.
Some of the candidates living in Navi Mumbai and Nerul, who appeared for the NET at the Somaiya Campus at Vidyavihar, said that they were happy that they were allotted centres in the eastern suburbs.
“Had the centres been elsewhere, it would have been difficult for us to reach on time. We had started almost three hours prior to the scheduled time and therefore managed to reach on time despite the megablock,” said one of the candidates.
On the question of the paper, candidates were unanimous about the first two papers (common for all candidates) being a cakewalk. “The subject paper was lengthy and tough. Some of us managed to attempt only 60-70 per cent of the questions,” said Raza Fallah, a candidate who appeared for the Persian subject.
The candidates were also pleased as they were allowed to take the carbon copy of their OMR sheets at the end of the test.