The Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MAH-CET) is the first step for admission to the 10000+ seats of the Post Graduate Degree Courses in Management (MBA/MMS) and Post Graduate Diploma Courses in Management (PGDBM/PGDM, offered by the various University departments in Maharashtra and their affiliated colleges. Apart from the test (200 marks), the other evaluating parameters include Group Discussion (17 marks), Personal Interview (17 marks) and a defined weightage for profile (past academic record, comprising class Xth and XIIth performance - 4 marks; work experience - 2 marks). Based on the above parameters, students are assigned ranks, whereafter they have to map their rank with the requirements of the participating institutes through the various rounds of the Centralized Admission Process (CAP).

Last year, MAH-CET was conducted on 17^th February, with the following pattern:-

• The total duration was 150 minutes, with 200 questions, no sections and no negative marking.
• There were 5 options per question and the mode of marking the ovals was black ball point pen, thus making it more difficult to change the response to a previously marked oval.
• The non-sectional configure of the test was further marked by (like all previous CETs) a jumbled appearance of questions on various subject areas. The areas of testing included verbal ability & reading comprehension, quantitative aptitude and logical/abstract reasoning (including non-verbal/visual reasoning)
• There were 25 questions on Problem Solving, with over 50% questions on Arithmetic & Algebra. Geometry was virtually non existent , with only one question. The questions in this area were relatively time consuming and calculation intensive as compared to the paper as a whole.
• There were 20 questions on Data Interpretation, with 4 sets of 5 questions each (one bar chart, two data tables and one line chart).The questions were largely calculation based and required the application of basic mathematical tools, like averages, percentage etc.
• Verbal ability and verbal reasoning contributed 54 questions, covering questions on odd-one out, anagram, analogy, fill in the blanks, spotting the error, sentence correction, syllogisms, probably/definitely true and implicit assumptions.
• There were 15 questions based on a passage (RC), which was of medium length and easy to connect with. Out of these 15 questions, 6 were word based (antonyms and synonyms) and the balance 9 were standard RC questions.
• Logical reasoning had 10 more questions as compared to that in the last year, but these the questions were relatively easier, the total number of questions being 56. Questions spanned across a wide range of problems, like family tree, linear & circular arrangement, coding, series completion etc.
• Visual/non-verbal reasoning continued to contribute 30 questions. Questions were of moderate difficulty and were based on series completion & analogies.

Distinguishing components and variance from CAT

 

• MAH-CET is a standard multiple choice question test of 150 minutes and 200 questions, wherein the questions are not structured into discrete sections. As compared to this, the CAT has been changing stripes from one year to the other, with a definite sectional configuration and varied number of physical parameters, like number of questions, duration etc.
• MAH -CET has a certain number of questions (around 15%) on visual reasoning. This is a significant differentiator from the CAT, which has not featured any such questions till now. Also, the paper is more skewed towards reasoning based questions and is relatively less stiff on the quantitative aptitude quotient, unlike the CAT, where quantitative aptitude has ruled the rost!
• MAH - CET is a test taker's delight as there is no penalty for wrong answers (though there is an instruction refraining the students from random guessing). As compared to this, the CAT and most other management entrance tests ensure a stringent constraint on the test taker, with a defined quantum of negative marking.

 

This test has assumed dominant proportions for Maharashtra students aspiring for an MBA and is taken by over 1,00,000 management enthusiasts. Another reason what makes it popular amongst the student community is that it is conducted at the fag end of the management entrance tests, when all other national level tests like CAT, XAT, SNAP etc would have been conducted. Hence it comes across to the students as the last straw to hold on to and realize their dream of becoming potential managers!!