The first common exam will be held only for admission to central government-funded
engineering institutions (IIT, NIIT and IIITs). A merit list will prepared on the basis
of this test using which aspirants can seek admission
The government plans to conduct a single entrance examination
for admissions to undergraduate programmes in central government’s engineering institutes
such as Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology
(NIT) and Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) from 2013.
The Union ministry of human resource development (MHRD) has decided to merge the
present IIT-Joint Entrance Examination (JEEs) and the All India Engineering Entrance
Examination (AIEEE) into one common test, in which 40% weightage will be given to
class 12 exam of state boards and the rest to two tests - Main and Advanced — to
be held same day. However, the state engineering colleges, private institutes and
deemed universities can continue to have their separate exams as of now because
a majority of the states are reluctant to adopt the central formula.
Though HRD minister Kapil Sibal said the states have “in-principle” endorsed the
Centre’s formula, the fact remains that despite the government’s claim that the
single test will bring down the stress level among students and curb the dependency
on coaching centres, the states are reluctant with anything that interferes with
their functioning. For instance, Tamil Nadu gives 100% weightage to state board
exam results and told the Centre that it was not keen to disturb its present arrangement.
As of now, there are about 150 entrance exams conducted by various state boards
and institutions, including the IIT-JEE, annually.
Unable to garner support from a majority of states, Sibal said the first common
examination will be held only for admission to central government-funded engineering
institutions (IIT, NIIT and IIITs). A merit list will prepared on the basis of this
test using which aspirants can seek admission. A student will get three chances
to improve the percentile and the marks of this entrance test will be valid for
two years. The tests will be conducted in English and Hindi. The academic component
of the Main and Advanced examinations will be handled by IITs, while the management
and conduct of the examination would be done by the CBSE in collaboration with state
boards. The MHRD suggested the states to adopt their own weightages for state board
exam marks and the national exams for admission to state-level institutions. They
could also adopt 100% weightage for state board results. Sibal also clarified that
the reform would not affect reservations followed by states and the Centre. The
government will now try to get deemed universities on board as well as they have
in the past used AIEEE for admissions.
Courtesy: DNA India
