Apart from the fees for CUET exams, the Universities demand a separate non-refundable counseling fee from the applicants.
Central universities such as DU, HCU, PU, and many others have previously used to conduct separate entrance tests for their admissions. It is since 2021 the National Testing Agency (NTA) has introduced Common University Entrance Test (CUET exams) for students who pursue central universities as well as other leading universities in the country reshaping the CU-CET to include all top-ranked institutions in a single platform.
CUET Exam: Rising Competition Amidst Increasing Student Population
For the last two years, more than ten lakh applicants are appearing for the common university entrance test. In the year 2023, there has been an increase of forty-one percent in the application received for CUET-UG admission [1]. CUET PG on the other hand receives a record of crossing five lakh applications. The first phase of the PG admission test has been conducted from June 5 to 12 in three shifts from 8:30 IST to 17:30 IST. There are more than 40,000 students who could not be accommodated in the test schedule and are awaiting the next phase.
As per the latest estimates and projections of the global population, United Nations [2] indicates that India would overtake China as the most populous country in the world. The population in India certainly continue to grow in the coming decades. Despite the country improving the education system. The increase in the number of students and the limited seats available is leading to the rise in fierce competition among aspiring students.
It is evident that in the CUET PG 2023 admission test, in its general paper COQP11. Students, those who pursue admission in law degree in prestigious universities such as the University of Delhi, and Banaras Hindu University were likely to attend more than half of the questions from the part of mathematics and reasoning.
Evolving Difficulty Levels in the CUET PG 2023 Exam
Thereby upgrading the difficulty level and syllabus every year, the system is decreasing the possibility of the desire of students in getting admission to determined universities. The process of admission consists of a written test followed by a walk-in interview and a counseling session for the shortlisted applicants. The common entrance test curbs the knowledge and aptitude of students by evaluating the aspirants by setting a general question pattern. Nonetheless, the student who aspires to take admission to arts subjects is liable to crack a minimum of twenty-five out of syllabus questions including seventy-five domain-specific subjects such as quantitative aptitude, basic mathematics, reasoning, and problem-solving.
Analyzing the opinion that students have given to various media [3]. It is evident that in the CUET PG 2023 admission test, in its general paper COQP11. Students, those who pursue admission in law degree in prestigious universities such as the University of Delhi, and Banaras Hindu University were likely to attend more than half of the questions from the part of mathematics and reasoning. If we look at the past year-wise question paper of DU LLB. The questions from mathematics were not a part of the syllabus as well as the significant part of the Indian Constituion has been limited in the common entrance test this year. More than testing the subject-specific aptitude of the students, the common university entrance test shows the trend of competition above all. The system increases the difficulty level of the admission test to select the top candidates. The aspirants ought to clear the high cut-offs to get admission to their desired college.
Throat Cutting Application Fee
Following the NTA release of the common university entrance test for students taking admission to undergraduate and postgraduate admissions. The coaching centers have unsurprisingly increased to provide better classes for the aspirants. Apart from the tuition fees that students are accountable to pay in schools, today, students have to pay a certain amount for coaching classes to crack competitive examinations such as CUET to get admission to top universities in the country. Although the examination system does not require aspirants to attend coaching classes.
For the reason that central universities provide the best teaching facilities at affordable fees and every year, there is an increase in the number of students who opt for central universities such as DU, HCU, BHU, and others, which, applicants from the middle-class background are high in number[4]. In such cases, privately owned universities provide better educational facilities for students than publicly funded universities. Students who come from the middle socio-economic group are reluctant to take admissions due to the inability to pay lakh for a two or three-year degree program.
Concerning the same middle-class aspirants who apply for the CUET examination. The CUET portal charges rupees thousand for the aspirants to submit their examination application where the students are able to appear in the common admission test for all central universities as well as top institutions in the country in a single window system. However, after appearing in the exams and the results published the universities that accept CUET scores demand a certain amount of not less than five hundred from general category students as well as not less than rupees hundred from the SC, ST, and others. Only after paying the chargeable fee, the students are able to upload their CUET scores for review by the university administration to get into the provisional list. It has been observed that the counseling fee that universities charge is non-refundable even if the student withdraws the admission.
The students raised the issue that since the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) has been introduced although the university does not conduct other entrance exams. The Universities have no authority to charge additional fees from the applicants.
It is in the last week that the University of Hyderabad released the notification regarding admission even before the CUET result is to be published.
Following the admission notification released by the University of Hyderabad. Considering the financial burden on applicants and the request of students, the SFI HCU had come up with a mass mail campaign [5] saying no to UG and PG application fees demanded by the University of Hyderabad. The students raised the issue that since the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) has been introduced although the university does not conduct other entrance exams. The Universities have no authority to charge additional fees from the applicants. The official notification has been removed from the university website the next day of release. The student expects a reconsideration of the application fee on the upcoming notification.
Challenges in CUET Exam Application Process
It was on 27 June 2023, Banaras Hindu University opened the registration portal for BHU PET 2023 admission. However, in its information bulletin, it shows that students have to pay an amount of rupees 400. Followingly many aspirants refuse to submit the application and are waiting for a reassurance notification on the CUET website in the coming weeks.
The CUET by demanding additional fees including the examination portal fee as well as each university counseling fee students are accountable to pay around two thousand rupees and more to apply for at least one university. Moreover, by setting the application deadline the universities restrains the opportunity for students in taking admission on the said date although by not providing any security for refund.
It was on 27 June 2023, Banaras Hindu University opened the registration portal for BHU PET 2023 admission. However, in its information bulletin, it shows that students have to pay an amount of rupees 400. Followingly many aspirants refuse to submit the application and are waiting for a reassurance notification on the CUET website in the coming weeks.
In a country like India where the increased population consists majority of middle-class individuals that are certain groups that face financial barriers to accessing quality education. By demanding high application fees in competitive exams and admissions. The system fails to understand the concerns of students from middle-income classes. Weighing the applicants on the basis of caste category the education system in India lacks support for students. The education system in the country marginalizes the educational opportunity of the students.