Mumbai: The State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell hopes to complete the admissions to professional courses for the academic year 2023-24 by July, as it released the schedule for common entrance tests (CET) and centralised admission process (CAP) for these programmes on Friday.
According to the schedule, the entrance tests for the courses such as engineering, pharmacy, agriculture, management, law and teacher training, are set to be conducted from March to May. The cut-off dates for completion of the admission process for most of these programmes have been fixed in the month of July so that colleges can start classes in August.
"During the last few years, the admission process got delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We are trying to restore it. The exams and admissions are being conducted around 3 to 4 months earlier than last year," said JP Dange, Chairman of the State Admission Regulating Authority (ARA).
The admissions have been marred by delays ever since the state appointed CET Cell as the sole authority for admitting students to professional institutes in 2016. The admissions often drag on until the months of October and November. The CET Cell has already begun the registration process for four courses - MBA, MCA, 5-year LLB and integrated BA/BSc-BEd.
Maharashtra CET and CAP schedule 2023 |
Maharashtra CET and CAP schedule 2023 |
The cell will also launch a mobile application for Android and iOS mobiles to fill out forms for exams and admissions. It will also give updates to aspirants through SMS and WhatsApp Business. "Our web portal is already compatible with mobile browsers, but the app will be even more useful for applicants," said Mahendra Warbhuvan, Commissioner, State CET Cell.
The CET Cell said that the computer-based exams will be conducted across 240 centres in the state as well as 10 centres in various other states of the country. It has also decided to increase the number of invigilators and other staff at the exam centres. "We are trying to provide centres in each taluka of the state, especially the big ones" said Dange.
The hall tickets and scorecards issued to candidates will feature a barcode and scorecard to curb forgery and malpractice.
The CET Cell has set up a help desk to provide assistance to candidates during the examination and admission period, which will be open on all days of the week between 9 am and 7 pm. The assistance will be available round-the-clock for three days before and after the exams.
