Feb. 12: The Presidency University entrance tests to undergraduate courses (English, Bengali and political science) will have only multiple-choice questions from this year.

Till last year, the English and Bengali tests had a combination of multiple choice and descriptive questions. Political science had only descriptive questions.

On February 1, the state JEE board that has been holding the tests for two years had announced the switch on its website, www.wbjeeb.in.

Each paper (90-minute) will have 100 marks and 50 questions with four optional answers. But teachers have asked how students, expected to answer descriptive questions during the course, can be selected through MCQs.

VC Anuradha Lohia said she hadn't received any communication from any teacher opposing the switch. Her predecessor, Malabika Sarkar, who had taught English at Jadavpur University, said MCQs in English was as good as scrapping the test. "How can a student be assessed if he/she is suited for the course without testing the writing skill. In that case, Presidency should admit students based on Plus II marks."