Unable to clarify as to what made DTE present different LOD tests across 4 sessions in MAH CET 2015 leading to unequal award of percentile for equal number of questions, DTE has been caught in its own web as the reply to candidates by Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) Maharashtra is far from satisfactory.
Aggrieved students after analyzing the equi-percentile process adopted in MAH CET 2015 result by DTE Maharashtra reveal alarming trends making it an irrational approach and justifying the demand of the candidates for retest or some better process.
Why pick & choose
MAH CET 2015 examination was conducted in multiple sessions, the question papers were different for each session and therefore the marks scoring pattern depended upon the difficulty level and it varied from session to session.
Apart from technical glitches all the 4 sessions of MAH CET 2015 had wrong questions which have not been evaluated by DTE Maharashtra. There was varying number of such questions qualifying for no evaluation in each session. According to DTE Maharashtra there were 59 questions in all which have not been evaluated. Due to this variation, DTE has normalized the score using Equi- percentile Method to take care of the difference in difficulty level, so that no candidate feels he/she is at a loss because he/she attempted a session which had tougher set of questions.
The problem is, when each session had a few questions not evaluated by DTE and it has also been placed in public domain, why not the marks scored after taking into account the not-evaluated answers qualified for same percentile. For example, if 19 questions in slot-1 and 18 questions in slot-2 were not evaluated, the marks were supposed to be awarded out of 181 and 182 respectively. The raw scores of the candidates then could have been converted to respective percentage in the session and then converted to percentile depending upon the common process of percentile calculation.
But the methodology tells a different story which has caused panic and dissatisfaction among the MAH CET 2015 takers after declaration of result on March 25, 2015. Typically enough, a high percentiler in CAT 2014 has scored very low percentile in MAH CET 2015 due to faulty process of equi-percentile calculation.
Topsy-Turvy process not acceptable
Thousands of MAH CET 2015 takers affected by the irrational process of calculating equi-percentile are in panic as many of them prepared for the exam after quitting their job. They did well and expected high scores but result has disappointed them.
In fact equi-percentile process is adopted for the exam conducted in multiple sessions but with similar level of difficulty. It can be understood by the process of awarding percentile scores in Common Admission Test (CAT).
According to Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) Maharashtra the candidates who appeared in slot-1 of the MAH CET 2015 exam had an easy test and therefore their percentile scores were reduced by taking the slot-2 test as base. In the similar manner slot-3 and 4 had more difficult questions; hence better percentile at same raw marks has been awarded.
The problem now is how you could apply the equi-percentile approach to different LOD tests in accordance to your own version and how to decide from the point of view of the test takers whether the question is difficult or easy.
It can be understood with a simple example. If a candidate is very good at Arithmetic, Geometry but finds it very difficult to solve Algebra questions vis-à-vis a candidate who is just opposite in skills. Now, how one should judge which is a less or more difficult question from the perspective of the test taker.
If a candidate is good at grammar he can crack any question on English language error correction; if a candidate is well equipped with vocabulary or is more skilled in reading, for him questions based on vocabulary and Reading comprehension would sure be easy in comparison to the former. On the top of it, the logic forwarded by DTE Maharashtra to make slot-2 as base for calculating equi-percentile is not rational enough as according to DTE “Batch II percentile scale is considered as Reference, as the number of students appeared is more.”
MAH CET: 200 questions with equal marks
Candidates have raised the issue that each question had equal marks in each session. All the questions had 1 maximum mark to be awarded for correct answer. If a candidate attempted 180 questions and out of them 160 answers were correct, he was awarded with 160 marks. At this score the candidate doesn’t expect a lower percentile than of a candidate who scored only 152 or 155 marks. According to the experts this is a key fact which DTE has to remember while calculating the percentile across the sessions.
Exam slot: Not by choice
Candidates who registered and applied to appear in MAH CET 2015 for admission to MBA/MMS 2015-17 batch in Maharashtra B schools did not opt for exam slots according to their choice. If a test taker did his best in slot-1, he did it as he had prepared well for the exam. It may be possible he might have done better or equally well in other exam slots also. How DTE can judge that the candidates appearing in slot-1 wouldn’t do so well in slot-2 or 3. On the contrary, the technical glitches in slot-1 compelled DTE Maharashtra to reschedule the test at some centres and shifted it to slot-3 and 4. It means these candidates must have not done so well in the rescheduled exam slots, how to assess!
DTE forgets technical issues
Number of candidates in slot-1 had slow systems, problems of systems shutting down and systems getting stuck after a certain time during the exam. Number of candidates found that their computer system didn’t work 30 to 45 minutes prior to close of test putting all their efforts in vain. But no substantial preventive or corrective measures were taken by DTE Maharashtra nor any compensation for the technical glitches, in the form of awarding any additional scores to the affected ones has been announced.
Test takers: Looking to judiciary for help
MAH CET 2015 test takers are moving the High Court of Maharashtra with their Writ of Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the hope of getting justice from the apex court of Maharashtra. Since the case of MAH CET 2015 test takers appears different from that of CAT 2013 takers, they can hope for the best from Maharashtra High Court.
In view of experts and mentors, it will be better in the interest of test takers and test conducting body as well as in the interest of keeping up the credibility of MAH CET for future also, if DTE Maharashtra comes up with acceptable solution to the problem in consultation with all stake holders and taking into account all the factors well known to DTE Maharashtra. JBIMS has already moved out of the CAP of DTE Maharashtra and if few other top ones decide to follow suit, it is possible that MAH CET may lose its charm.
To help out MAH CET 2015 candidates, MBAUniverse.com has started unique initiative to provide LIVE MAH CET 2015 Results update, news, Cut-offs, Expert guidance, DTE Admission Counselling and GD PI Updates for Admission 2015.
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