The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Mathematics paper a tough nut to crack

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 10, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Mathematics paper a tough nut to crack

Vani Doraisamy

Physics and chemistry question papers of IIT entrance exam were relatively better, say students

NOT MANY SMILES: Students who took the IIT Joint Entrance Examination 2006 at the Sankara Senior Secondary School, Adyar on Sunday, were a worried lot as the mathematics question paper proved to be more difficult than expected. PHOTO: N.SRIDHARAN

CHENNAI: What started as a day of hope ended as one of mixed fortunes for nearly 5,800 candidates who sat for the new format IIT-Joint Entrance Examination, held here on Sunday, for admission to the seven Indian Institutes of Technology.

While the physics and chemistry papers fared better, the mathematics paper was found "twice as much tough" with many struggling to finish the paper within the allotted time of two hours.

Around 42,500 candidates had registered for the examination held in 100 centres in the four southern States and Pondicherry. In Chennai alone, the examination was held in 13 centres. The question paper pattern underwent a change this year, with just one examination instead of the preliminary and main examination pattern that was followed till last year.

Asked to rank the ease of answering the questions, students said chemistry was the easiest with only 20 per cent of the questions proving tough, followed by physics at 40 per cent and mathematics at more than 50.

"Physics was easier than expected as most questions were directly from the prescribed texts. The pattern was also more clear this year than the previous years," said J. Sujith, a student of Kendriya Vidyalaya, who took the examination at S.B.O.A School and Junior College at Anna Nagar.

"The negative marking for the wrong answers will only worsen our plight as mathematics questions were unexpectedly tough and the time provided was not enough either. Only those who had undergone rigorous coaching can expect to clear the examination," said Bijet Kumar Sampath from Orissa, who wrote the examination at Meenakshi College for Women.

Many students said the diagram-oriented questions in the math paper added to the toughness as they had been expecting more conceptual questions.

"The math paper had at least four questions out of 40 that needed prolonged calculation, which took away a sizeable amount of time. I was at disadvantage, as I had not attended coaching classes prior to the exam," said B. Harish.

"I lost all hope of clearing the examination after seeing the mathematics question paper. The fact that I have done relatively better in chemistry and physics is the only consolation I have," said Sakshi Sharma.

Most of the candidates who took the examination were first-timers who will also be banking on the Tamil Nadu Professional Courses Entrance Examination, scheduled for May 8.

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