Biology, chemistry in NEET moderate to easy, say students in Mumbai

Most NEET aspirants in Mumbai found the biology and chemistry sections moderate to easy, while many complained of the difficulty level in the physics section

Nearly 16 lakh students from around the country appeared for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) for undergraduate medical and dental courses on Sunday. Most students found the biology and chemistry sections moderate to easy, while many complained of the difficulty level in the physics section.

Students at NEET exam centre at Thakur College, Kandivli in Mumbai. (HT Photo)

Once again, Maharashtra made up for the highest number of applicants, with 2.2 lakh registered candidates from the state. While the majority of students found the exam process smooth sailing, few students from the city had much to complain about and have approached the National Testing Agency (NTA) about these errors.

“At our centre, the authorities never checked our admit cards, which means the NTA now has no confirmation that we appeared for the exam altogether. We’ve asked the NTA to look into this matter,” said a student. In another case, a handful of students in one classroom at another centre in the city were shocked when the optical marking recognition (OMR) sheet was separated from the answer booklet by the invigilator.

“The NTA rules mention that the OMR sheet has to be attached with the answer booklet, how did the invigilator not know this? Without the answer booklet the answer sheet might get discredited from assessment,” said Ruiee Kapoor, parent and activist. Many parents too have approached the NTA and are hoping for clarity from them soon.

This is the first time since its inception that the exam pattern for NEET-UG has been changed.

Until 2020, the NEET-UG paper pattern consisted of 180 objective type questions from physics, chemistry and biology (botany and zoology) to be answered on a specially designed sheet using a ballpoint pen only. Each correct answer gives students four marks, and each wrong answer deducts one mark. According to NTA, the new paper pattern will now comprise two sections under each subject.

Section A will consist of 35 questions that students have to attempt compulsorily, and section B will consist of 15 questions from which the candidate can choose to attempt any 10 questions. “Since students have to choose and attempt only 10 out of the 15 questions, the utilisation of time will remain the same, thus clarifying that the total time given for the exam remains the same this year as well,” clarified the NTA response.

Some students also complained about the optional questions in the chemistry section, not from the NCERT syllabus. “Overall, this year’s paper is tougher than the previous year, which is going to make scoring difficult for students. The overall cutoffs will drop this time,” said Vinay Kumar, managing director and chief executive officer, Rao Academy, a city-based coaching institute.