Examinations are the conventionally accepted way of testing the knowledge you already have, and are often the gateway to a more elaborate course of knowledge. Entrance examinations are of this particular variety. In India, a vast number of entrance exams in various fields contribute to a systematic way to approach higher studies in a certain domain of academics.
While any institution can hold entrance exam for the admission of students into their courses, the entrance exams conducted under the supervision of the government are of supreme importance. Not only do they offer counselling to the top ranking colleges in India, the government tag also legitimises and adds credibility to the score card of your exam.
It is these entrances that have the most applications, increasing the competition tenfold. The standard of the examinations are also very high making it particularly difficult to crack. In India, higher education is a widespread phenomenon with universities in almost every state. With the emphasis on education, the infrastructure allows the pursuing of studies in a range of academic fields and each exam outdoes the other in difficulty.
Here are five competitive exams which are hard to crack in the country.
- UPSC Exam
The UPSC exam is commonly referred to as the civil services examination in the country. It is conducted on a national forum, recruiting candidates on a range of service like the Indian Administrative Service, the Indian Police Service, the Indian Foreign Service and many others.
The examination has three constituent parts, the two successive General Studies Papers known as the CSAT. The next part consists of the main examination with nine conventional questions with ‘essay’ type questions. On qualifying these rounds, the applicant has to appear for a personal interview round before being trained for the relevant service.
- JEE Exam
The Joint Entrance Examination or the JEE exam is the first step towards ensuring a career in engineering in the country. The exam is split into two parts, the JEE Mains and JEE Advanced. It is the national level undergraduate examination in engineering for entrance into B.Tech and BE degrees, conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education. The exam allows admission to 31 NITs, 23 IITs and 22 CFTIs.
- GATE Exam
The General Aptitude Test in Engineering or the GATE exam is an examination that must be taken by all students belonging to the science background. It serves as a common entrance examination for PG courses in engineering, like the Masters in Science, Masters in Technology and Masters in Engineering, from the top colleges of the country. While it may not always grant direct admission, the GATE scores will make an interesting candidate eligible for IITs and IISc..
- CAT
The Common Admission Test is another important and popular admission test in the country. It is a computer based test that tests a person on the Quantitative ability, Verbal ability, Reading comprehension, Data interpretation, and logical reasoning. It is conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management in the country and is one of the most difficult examinations that require special coaching and specific training.
- AIIMS (PG and MBBS)
In the field of medicine, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences or AIIMS is the most prestigious institution in the country. The entrance of the AIIMS exam is conducted by the central government and is held in every state in India. The examination is extremely difficult to crack and only the truly deserving, who have put in the vigorous hard work necessary can be said to have a chance at making the cut.
The system of a qualifying examination is indeed a fair and organised method to initiate a student into higher studies in the field of their choice. Be it science, engineering or management, the infrastructure of educational institutions have improved a great deal in the wake of an organised system of examinations in the country.
While not every examination can be considered to be valid for every individual, it is pertinent that one chooses the field he or she would like to be a part of. By choosing and focusing on the examination, preparing for it with determination and dedication, the candidate can be well on the way to building the career that he or she wishes to have in their lifetime.
