NEW DELHI: To ensure candidates appearing for medical and engineering entrance exams as well as the UGC NET (University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test) are better prepared to complete their papers within the deadline and improve their performance, the National Testing Agency (NTA) is set to launch an app that almost takes on the role of a personal performance coach.
The Abhyas AI app is in the beta testing phase, it is reliably learnt. It is already popular, with over 15,000 individuals taking mock tests using it.
The self-study tool, available in both English and Hindi, comprises multiple three-hour free mock tests that can be taken at one’s convenience. Scores are also provided at the end of each test, along with correct answers and explanations.
The objectives of the app are to reduce careless errors and improve time management, speed, accuracy, as well as the test-taking strategies of all its aspirants.
By clocking the time spent by a candidate individually on, say, Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Maths, it enables an aspirant to make an accurate self-analysis and reduce or increase the time devoted to different sections.
Responses from users of the app reveal that the mock tests and detailed analysis could make it a crucial component of preparations for future competitive exams. There had been initial technical issues, including login glitches, as pointed out by students, and these appear to have been sorted out at present.
The app can be accessed on the NTA website (www.nta.ac.in). It can be downloaded from the Google Play Store on Android mobile devices. To gain access, a login ID needs to be created using one’s name, email ID or phone number.
An explainer on the app states that the advantage of attempting the test via an app rather than online is that the mock test can be downloaded on one’s phone. It will then suggest that the user switch to airplane mode, allowing them to work on the paper even without an internet connection.
The screen replicates the interface of competitive exams. An analysis of the app reveals that one can switch between different subjects by clicking on the top of the screen, which has options such as Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics for the JEE exam. This mock exam makes it very easy to navigate between questions through coloured icons for each question, as well as to review performance in a subject by clicking on an overview screen.
The following are the meanings of the colours. A green icon means the question has been answered, while a red icon means it has not yet been attempted. A purple icon WITHOUT a tick mark means the question has not been attempted but has been marked for review later, while a purple icon with a tick mark means the question has been attempted but marked for later review. When the test is submitted, the screen will offer a summary of all the questions completed.
