For Jr. College (science) students, it hardly matters whether you aspire to be a doctor or an engineer because most of you would have to appear for the MHT-CET, either medical or engineering or both!

In any case, the roots of CET are same: Knowledge and its rapid application. Both of these come by sheer hard-work and practice. However, due to the memory-dominated S.S.C. examination system, many students continue with memory-based learning. Memory dominated learning can help you at H.S.C. exam too but its a big flop at MHT-CET! All questions in MHT-CET are multiple choice with only one best answer type(M.C.Q.s). For assessing a student’s overall understanding and application skills, M.C.Q.s are usually considered superior to essay type answer. Hence, it is important that students start developing these skills from Std. XI instead of depending upon coaching classes or tuition. If you haven’t, then it is high time you should take it seriously now.

Giving yourself the strong foundation for MHT-CET: step-by-step

Most students will have difficulty adapting themselves to the CET way of learning. To be comfortable with CET, the your first priority should be to be comfortable with your H.S.C. syllabus. You should know ‘each and everything about every topic within the scope of your syllabus’. In CET, there are very few questions that can be predicted as ‘most likely’ as in H.S.C. board exams. Questions can appear from any part of sanctioned textbooks. Hence, apart from concepts, a student must be well-versed with factual data such as name of scientists, years of discoveries, ‘Father of’ various branches(Ex: Father of Genetics is Johann Mendel), other numerical data, etc.

Biology:

The factual data, for atleast the subject of Biology, which is dispersed over 9 sanctioned textbooks is so great in size that it would be impossible to study them in an unorganized way. Always, read a chapter from one sanctioned textbook and read the same chapter from another textbook. Once you finish reading the chapter from all 9 sanctioned textbooks, then repeat the same process with the next chapter. Underline facts that you find are anot given in every textbooks. For eg: In the topic ‘Immunity system‘, only one book mentions that ‘IgM class antibody is the earliest antibody produced by the embryo, when it is about 20 weeks old‘. Capture that unique points by underlining them. Avoid using fluorescent markers because they are more time-consuming and can fade with time. Best is a pencil.

Physics:

Most students already have experienced the nightmare with physics. Physics is a concept-dominated subject. At CET, if you are not well-versed with the concept, in a way, you are actually preparing to lose. A ‘concept’ cannot be always taught in a classroom. The understanding that some students pick from the teacher’s words is a ‘concept’ while other pick it up as merely as a ‘set of words and sentences that should be mugged and written in the exam’. Remember, concept is not the words, it is the logic that you realize between events that are described by your teacher. Good teachers will make you understand the logic too, but if you don’t have a good teacher, you will have a tough time at physics.

Problem solving(numerical problems) is a great way to ensure high score in physics. Every year, atleast 42 out of 50 MCQs in physics are numericals. The average amount of time you have to solve each question is just 54 seconds. Within 54 secs, you have to read, understand and interpret the problem statement. The answer calculation begins after that. It is IMPOSSIBLE to complete physics MCQs without diligent practice or MCQs of varied types. Most students practice but they stick to only a few types of MCQs instead of adventuring into more types. This directly hampers your chances of success at MHT-CET because the MCQs in MHT-CET are not strictly based upon any prototype as found in various MCQs practice books. Many MCQs are much more creative than those often found in various reference books. Hence, practice as many varied types as possible. Author P.S. Bangui’s numerical problem book is a must-have. Also remember to solve numerical problems given in the ‘exercise’ at the end of every chapter. Bangui’s book too comes with its drawbacks.

Chemistry:

Chemistry is considered to be much easier than physics but still it is not as luxurious as biology in terms of level of difficulty and availability of time. Chemistry I demands theory and numerical problem practice where as chemistry II demands more of ‘reactions’ practice. While many reactions seem logical and easy to understand, it is most important that you remember ALL of them in your CET. Minute differences between reactions are very important which are not often discussed in H.S.C.

Best luck for your CET!

Also read:

Reference material for Physics and Material for MHT-CET [By me_101. About me_101: me_101 is one of the very helpful members of the forum and has secured admission to a reputed Govt Medical College(M.B.B.S.) on basis of merit. You can contact me_101 through our forum.]

Reference material for Biology for MHT-CET [By Rohan Shenoy. About Rohan Shenoy]

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