The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : <I>The Hindu</I> Education Plus-Aspire model test useful, say students

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 25, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

The Hindu Education Plus-Aspire model test useful, say students

Staff Reporter

The results are likely to be declared by May 3

NOT IN THE LEAST DISTRACTED: Students taking the model mathematics test at Southern Pearl Matriculation School, Mogappair, in Chennai on Sunday. — Photo: K. Pichumani

CHENNAI: Thousands of students flocked to various examination centres to take up the `The Hindu Education Plus - Aspire State-Level Model Test' conducted here on Sunday.

Over 5,000 aspiring engineers and doctors from all over Tamil Nadu had applied to take up the test comprising biology, mathematics, physics and chemistry papers, which were designed keeping the actual question paper pattern in mind. While the biology test was held on Saturday, the maths, physics and chemistry tests were conducted over two sessions on Sunday.

M. Sudarkodi, a student of Montford Matriculation, said, "I knew quite a few answers. It was sort of reassuring, especially because we started preparing for the Common Entrance Test much later than our CBSE counterparts." She took the test at Southern Pearl Matriculation, Mogappair.

"Standard questions"

While most students deemed the mathematics paper as being "moderately difficult", a few of them found the calculus and vector analysis problems challenging.

M. Shankaranarayanan of D.A.V. Matriculation, Mogappair, said that there were several "standard questions" in the mathematics paper. However, the engineering aspirant, who has been attending coaching classes for a week, found the vectors and analytical geometry sections slightly difficult.

Bilal Mehmood, who took the test at the T. Nagar centre at Ramakrishna Math Sarada Vidyalaya, thought problems from the matrices chapter were easy. "These tests help us to assess ourselves and find out how much we know," he said.

He took the mathematics, physics and chemistry tests, while his twin brother, Bisharat Mehmood, appeared for the biology test as well. Bisharat found the chemistry paper easy. "But, the physics paper was slightly challenging," he said, adding that, "problems from the semi-conductors chapter were difficult."

A few students, including S. Vignesh from Tiruchengodu, said they were comfortable with their levels of preparation. But, several students from State Board schools, and parents felt that there was additional pressure, as they did not, till recently, know whether they (or their wards respectively) had to take the CET or not.

Chitra Ganapathy, who was waiting for her daughter to complete her test at Southern Pearl, said the model test was all the more significant as students were preparing for the CET at such short notice.

Madhumathi. N, Director, Aspire, said, "The results are likely to be declared by May 3. Students' scores will be made put up on our website with the answer key so that they know which questions they didn't get right." Step-wise solutions to all the questions would also be available at all Aspire centres, she added.

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