High fees for mock CET tests spark concerns
Students claim that the charges are excessive, especially considering that they have already paid ₹1,000 to register for the main CET exam and an additional ₹1,000 is required later during the admission confirmation process
A new initiative by the Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell to introduce mock tests for students preparing for professional course entrance exams has sparked widespread concern due to the high fees involved. This year, for the first time, the CET Cell is offering mock tests for 18 professional courses in a bid to help students understand the exam format and prepare more effectively however the fees of ₹590 ( ₹500 test fees plus ₹90 GST) have triggered a backlash from students and education experts alike.
Students claim that the charges are excessive, especially considering that they have already paid ₹1,000 to register for the main CET exam and an additional ₹1,000 is required later during the admission confirmation process. For many students from middle-class and lower-income families, this cumulative cost amounting to over ₹3,000 has become a serious financial burden.
Sangram Joshi, a CET aspirant, said, “I have already paid ₹1,000 for the exam. Now they want ₹590 for the mock test, and soon, I will have to pay again for admission. This is a heavy amount just to reach the point of getting admitted. In exams like NEET and JEE, the government provides free mock test resources. Why should CET students be treated differently?”
Not just the fees but the fear of being left behind is the students’ main concern.
Krutika Jangade, another candidate, said, “We are worried that if we don’t take the official mock tests and questions from those appear in the main exam, students who could not afford them will be at a disadvantage.”
Education experts, too, have raised serious ethical and procedural concerns. Harish Butale, founder of DEEPER (a Pune-based educational trust), pointed out that having the same agency responsible for conducting the main exam also run paid mock tests creates a conflict of interest. “The same agency assessing students for admissions should not be profiting from them through paid practice tests,” he said.
Durgesh Mangeshkar, founder and director of IITPK, added that the mock test fees are unjustified when compared to national-level agencies. “The National Testing Agency (NTA) which conducts exams for lakhs of students nationwide offers mock tests for free. Even private coaching centres charge ₹50 or less for similar tests. Why then is the CET Cell charging ₹590?” he questioned.
The issue also raises concerns about access for economically weaker students. Government schemes in Maharashtra offer poor female students free admission to professional courses but no such support exists for mock test fees. “How can these girls pay ₹590 just for mock tests? This goes against the spirit of inclusive education,” said a rural school teacher Archana Somavanshi.
Moreover, attempts to contact the CET Cell helpline for more clarity reportedly resulted in no response or vague answers. Estimates suggest that nearly 17 to 18 lakh students appear for various CET exams in Maharashtra. If each is charged ₹590 for mock tests, the revenue generated could run into crores, leading to allegations that the CET Cell is more focused on profit than the students’ welfare. “We are reviewing this fee process and soon an official statement will be issued by the state CET cell,” said a senior official from the CET Cell on condition of anonymity.