Click here to download PDF file of MCQs + answer keys + explanations
Mock test in MHT-CET BIOLOGY &memory based question papers of MHT-CET 2009 and MHT-CET 2010 BIOLOGY
May 2, 2011 By 4 Comments
Why MCQs in MHT-CET are always differently styled than what we solve in popular books
April 21, 2011 By 1 Comment
When we were analyzing the MHT-CET 2009 and 2010 biology memory based question paper, we came across a lot of interesting observations. In our opinions, these observations say a lot of things about the mindset of the paper-setters who are involved in the paper-creation process. Before I get into the details of those observation, let me first give a background info on how the paper-setting is done.
The paper-setting is done at the office of DMER, located just outside CST Mumbai, in St. George Hospital Campus. The process starts around the end of February and is completed within few days to weeks.
- DMER requests the State Board to send a copy of the syllabus and list of prescribed textbooks(sanctioned textbooks + textbooks published by the Board itself).
- DMER purchases the latest revised versions of the textbooks as suggested by the Board. It is not necessary that DMER purchases all the suggested textbooks. It may simply choose a few textbooks by its own. Also it is not necessary that DMER should purchase the state board textbook. It can choose to purchase all other suggested textbooks except the ones published by state board.
- After choosing their textbooks, DMER appoints senior teching faculties from Junior colleges as paper-setters. It is important to note that only junior college faculty members are invited for paper-setting. Many carry a notion that since it is a medical entrance exam, doctors from medical colleges are called for paper-setting – which is wrong.
- The paper-setters are not allowed to carry any book or chit along with them such as Target, Uttam, Himalaya, Vidyabhartee, etc. The questions are compulsorily to be framed by referring the textbooks.
- The paper-setters mutually divide themselves amongs groups for particular chapters or their area of interest. It is not necessary that any paper-setter should create and submit MCQs from all the chapters of paper-I or paper-II. A paper setter may choose to submit questions for only one or few of the chapters.
- Also, the paper setter cannot insist on using any particular textbook of his preference. If DMER has not purchased that textbook, the paper-setter cannot argue and force DMER to get that textbook.
- Paper-setters are instructed to create more than the no. of MCQs actually required. For example: If Biology question paper is to contain 100 MCQs, they are instructed to create more than 100 MCQs because some questions may be eliminated in the scrutiny process.
- After all the paper-setters have submitted their MCQs, the MCQs are subjected to three levels of scrutiny by other paper-setters. In the scrutiny process, the paper-setters will verify that the MCQs is a valid one – that is – it does not contain errors, answer is found in sanctioned textbooks, and that answers mentioned in all the sanctioned textbooks are same(especially for number based MCQs)
- Along with such manual paper-setting process, DMER may also be maintaining a computerized question-bank. Thus, it is possible that some of the questions finally included in the questions paper are from the question bank, and the manually created MCQs by paper-setters are used to replenish the question-bank.
- Once the MCQ paper is finalized, four versions(11,22,33,44) are created by frame-shifting or block-shifting. Note than none of the paper-setter gets to see the final question paper since the MCQs are already well-scrutinized before including them in the process.
Now coming to our interesting observations and conclusions:
- Their way of sentence formation is much different from what is found in popular MCQ books like Target, Uttam, etc,. Why? This is because they do not have exposure to these books. Most of these senior-faculty members are not associated with any coaching classes. Therefore, they do not adopt the same MCQ study material as students do.
- MCQs are detail-oriented, and not just superficial. For example: In the past, they had asked about the part of Brassica plant in which Hirudin accumulates. While most of the practice books dwell only upto the fact that GMO Brassica is used for hirudin production, their MCQs was one-step-further.
- MCQs are process-oriented. For instance, while MCQs found in common study material deal with conclusions of experiments and their applications, MCQs asked in MHT-CET have many times dealt with the procedure along with the conclusion, and not conclusion alone.
There are ten biology text-books for MHT-CET 2011, and not just the one by state board
February 14, 2011 By 23 Comments
This post is to clarify that there are ten textbooks for the subject of Std. 12 Biology – in H.S.C. 2011 and MHT-CET 2011, and not just one textbook. The Maharashtra State Board has published its own Std. 12 Biology textbook in May 2010. Since then, there is a constant flow of rumors and misguidance among students that the sanction of the nine std. 12 biology textbooks by private publishers has been revoked, and that there is only one Std. 12 biology textbook – that published the Board.
The Board has long back circulated an notification among all science junior colleges that the nine sanctioned textbooks of Std. 12 biology by private publishers will retain their sanction for the current academic year. Students may contact their college teachers to see a copy of the circular themselves. As the circular is considered as confidential, we cannot put a scanned copy of it on our wesbite. But you can get a copy from your college teachers.
There have been incidents where certain teachers have been spreading these ‘news’ but the study material of their private tuitions does span over all the ten textbooks. Thus, these teachers are asking their private tuition students to study from all the ten textbooks, but at the same time, they are spreading rumors that there are not ten but only one textbook for Biology. Students, parents and educators who are victims of such rumors and misguidance are therefore made aware of the possibility that these rumors may have been created and propagated by certain entities with vested interests and malicious intentions.
All junior colleges(science) have been given the circular by the board regarding the validity of sanctioned textbooks. Therefore, if your college teacher also looks ‘confused’ about this matter, please point him/her towards this circular.
There also have been incidents where senior college teachers are telling the students that “I am a paper-setter for CET 2011 and we will be using only Board textbook”. Students should note that the process of setting the question papers for MHT-CET 2011 has not yet started as the time of writing this article, therefore anybody claiming to be in the paper-setting committee is lying. Students may report such incidents directly to the DMER.
Students of PCB group who must also read the other nine textbooks of the private publishers, but have not yet started reading those due to this rumor or confusion should consider Prof. ROHAN SHENOY’s test-series for MHT-CET Biology – 2011 because all our study material is prepared not only by referring to the nine sanctioned textbooks but also updated to comply with the new textbook published by the State Board. For details of the MHT-CET Biology test-series from all ten textbooks, please click here.
MHT-CET Biology online free test-series paper
February 7, 2011 By 43 Comments
Download free practice paper for MHT-CET Biology (all chapters) from below links.
- 40 MCQs + answer keys + explanation – all 20 chapters
- Mock test for MHT-CET Biology (100 MCQs all chapters + answer keys + explanations)
- Paper no. 2 (questions + answer keys + explanations – all chapters)
- Paper no. 3 (questions + answer keys + explanation – all chapters)
- Paper no. 4 (MCQs from chapters 1, 2 and 3 – natural resources, biotechnology, biofert n medicinal plants)
Self-study – an underrated ingredient of success
November 10, 2010 By 4 Comments
Do you ‘self-study’? Self-study is the way to go for any serious student. Don’t wait for your coaching class to start the CET lectures. You take the initiative for yourself and grab the MCQ book to get started!
But why should you self-study if you are enrolled with the best coaching class or the best private tuitions? Isn’t self-study for poor students who cannot afford coaching classes or private tuitions? Absolutely not, poor or rich, urban or rural, boy or girl, repeater or fresher – there is one thing common between all these – the process of learning. When you are given ready-made solution, even though you somehow get the answer, most of the steps of learning or problem-solving are absent or short-circuited. The process of learning cannot be “outsourced”. To help you understand how the process of self-study creates benefits for you, download this PDF file.
Leave your comments below!
Corrections in Std. 12 biology textbook of state board(government textbook) – Sep 2010
November 9, 2010 By 8 Comments
In July 2010, the Maharashtra State Board published its first Biology textbook for Std. 12. However, there are some corrections in it, which have been identified and corrected by the Board. Click here to download the PDF file containing the corrections.
In Jan 2008, the board had issued few corrections in relation to mistakes and content of textbooks from private publishers. If any of use is using the old uncorrected copies of those textbooks, please download this PDF file also.
Net gain of ATP in complete aerobic oxidation of glucose
November 8, 2010 By 9 Comments
What is the net gain of ATP in complete aerobic oxidation of 1 glucose?
Seems too simple? Not really, because the answer is not 38(or 36) ATPs as most would expect! This is very tricky question because it nicely mixes the fundamentals and skills of reading. Unless I told you beforehand that the answer is not 36 or 38, most would never imagine that the answer is other than 36 or 38. If this question is asked in MHT-CET exam, many students will not realize that they have made a mistake.
Key concept: Knowing the difference between “oxidation” and “respiration”.
Oxidation of glucose ends with Kreb’s cycle and the formation of reduced co-enzymes such as FADH2 and NADH2.
Thus, Complete oxidation = Glycolysis + Link Reaction + Kreb’s cycle
Respiration ends with ETS, i.e, extraction of energy from the reduced co-enzymes.
Thus, Complete aerobic respiration = Glycolysis + Link reaction + Kreb’s cycle + ETS.
So, when speaking of only “complete oxidation”, we have net 2 ATP from Glycolysis and 2 ATP(obtained by conversion of GTP) from Kreb’s cycle. Thus, net gain is only 4 ATP.
Also read: How teachers can fool students and play tricks so that you will mark the wrong answer
Puzzle on genetics
November 7, 2010 By 1 Comment
In a piece of DNA molecule the nucleotide sequence on one of strands was ATCG, but that on opposite strand was not TAGC. Why or how is it possible?
Before seeing the answer, please make your best effort and also ask your friends about this puzzle. Only when you “totally give-up”, read the answer below!
Answer: click here
PS: When we asked this puzzle in our free SMS Group, none of the students could get it right!
DMER, what are you trying to hide?
November 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Every year, after announcing the results of MHT-CET exam(for graduation in health science courses), DMER conducts several seat allocation rounds called as “selection rounds”. Till the past year, in every such rounds, it used to disclose candidates who have “canceled” their admission after confirming it according to the previous round. But come 2010 and DMER has forgotten to do this. Instead, it ha opted to enlist only those students whose selection has changed.
Will anybody from DMER come ahead and tell us why you thought that it was not important to disclose the canceled admissions?
7 tips to solve physics faster in MHT-CET
September 19, 2010 By 40 Comments
- Play chess or any other mild puzzle for improving basic logical, analytic and reasoning skills.
- By-heart logarithm tables of common nos (Ex: 0 – 9) for faster calculation.
- Wherever you are dealing with fractional nos, always eliminate the decimal and spin it into a power of 10. Example: (5.1/17) should be solved as [(51/17)*10-1]. Eliminating fractions will improve the accuracy exponentially. In MHT-CET physics paper, many times the only difference in options is their decimal place. Ex: a) 1.3 b) 0.13 c) 0.013 d) 0.0013
- Learn inter-conversion of units in various systems such as MKS and CGS.
- While solving numerical MCQs from any book, such as P.S. Bangui, start solving from the last question to first question, i.e in reverse order. The difficult questions are usually given in the last. If reverse order is too difficult, you can solve alternate questions in serial order.
- Use common sense, and do not be nervous or anxious while approaching questions. Most of the questions are straight forward formula based. Students blow it up because they are weak on calculation parts, or are not prepared fully.
- Instead of “reading” formulas, practice them in the form of numericals. This will give dual benefit of learning the formula as well math speed.
For your information:
- Atleast 45 out of 50 questions in physics paper are numerical questions. It is foolish on the part of any student to appear for CET without having practiced numericals.
Update: We have now launched Physics test-series for MHT-CET 2012. Click here.