Therefore, if there is a mistake, one goes down by six marks
Students looking at the notice board for their allocated seats before IIT Joint Entrance Examination at Madras Institute of Technology in Chromepet on Sunday. (Photo: DC)
Chennai: Students who appeared for the IIT joint entrance examination this year, conducted on Sunday, were disappointed as there was 50 per cent negative marking and the total marks for the examination conducted was 504, against the 360 that is awarded every year.
According to some students, last year, there was no negative marking for paper-I, which was for 180 marks. But, this year, except for the first eight questions, there was negative marking for every other question.
Most of them found Mathematics in paper-I to be tough and lengthy, compared to Chemistry and Physics. Students found paper-II to be relatively easier than paper-I but Physics was tough. Paper-I and II taken together were given total marks of 360 till last year. But, this time, the division of marks was 264 for paper-I and 240 for paper-II, totaling 504.
The marking pattern was such that plus four marks are awarded for correct answers and minus two for incorrect answers. Therefore, if there is a mistake, one goes down by six marks.
S. Abhiram, a student of Modern senior secondary school in Velachery, said it is because of the drastic change in pattern this year that he found the exam difficult — especially Maths.
“There was no single answer but all multiple choices and there was negative marking. Therefore, it means a person has to know all the answers - only then can he attempt it. The multiple choices required more time,” he said. Yet, he is confident of getting through. For Abhik Biswas, a student from Chennai public school in Anna Nagar, the question paper was unexpected.
“I went through the question papers for 2008 and 2009 which were tough. But this year’s paper was the toughest. For 10 minutes I went blank. On top of it, negative marking was worrisome,” he said. His mother, Ratna Biswas, said he had been working hard for the past two years for IIT but is really disappointed with this year’s paper.
K.K. Anand, founder of a training centre called Smart (Science and Mathematics of Academy for Real Talents) said, “IIT has the habit of changing patterns every year but 50 per cent negative marking is unheard-of which kind of panicked the students. But the students should also be psychologically prepared to face the surprise. They should have the capability to accept the challenge.”
Aakash Chaudhry, director of Aakash Institute, said of the three subjects in paper-I, Mathematics had long calculations. It was more theoretical rather than application based.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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