Mumbai: Despite the rising number of COVID-19 cases, over 5.24 lakh students will appear for the Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MHT-CET) this year, announced state higher education minister Uday Samant on Tuesday.
These exams will be conducted on July 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 28, 29, 30 and 31 and, for those students who cannot appear on these days can attempt the reexam on August 3, 4 and 5, 2020. On Tuesday, Samant interacted with students via Facebook live stating,
"The MHT-CET, competitive test for admissions to engineering, medical and dental courses, is an important exam for students.
This test will be conducted maintaining social distancing norms and precautionary measures against the coronavirus." Students who are unable to commute to their exam centres will be provided transport services as these exams will be conducted at taluka level instead of district.
Samant added, "Students who cannot :commute to exam centres due to lockdown restrictions will be provided with transport services. Students who had opted for exam centres in other districts will be allowed to change and opt for nearby centres. The exams will be conducted at taluka level instead of district level."
Students claim they are glad the test is not cancelled as they have been preparing for this exam for the last two years. Sahil Shah, a Class 12 student, said, "I have been studying for this MCQ based entrance test for the last two years of my junior college."
Bhagyashree Deshpande, another student said, "I have paid exorbitant fees of Rs 3 lakh to private tutorials in order to score well in CET. I am waiting to appear for this exam as it is the only gateway which decides our seat for higher education."
Usually, this annual MHT-CET is conducted in March, April, or May. But this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the test has been postponed to July. The test will be conducted in two groups Physics Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM) and Biology (PCB) subjects separately. Students can check their timetable at www.mahacet.org.