IIT entrance exams

Posted by Ninad on October 26, 2009 under All Posts | Read the First Comment

Getting admission into any of the 15 IITs remains a high aspiration for many young students in India.

In 2009, 3.85 lakh students took the IIT JEE (Joint Entrance Exams) and 20,035 students qualified.  The ratio of  46:1 (aspirants to seat ratio) is probably the most competitive for any institution in the world.

Due to this stiff competition, students of Class XII cram in as many hours of studies for the entrance exam as possible. As a result, they do not focus on class XII exams and count on getting the minimum 60 percentage with minimum effort.

Recently, Kapil Sibal, Education Minister, was quoted as saying that there was a proposal to increase this minimum percentage of Class XII to 80 per cent. The ostensible reason was to curb the mushrooming of the coaching classes for IIT entrance exams and also to ensure that students pay attention to class XII exams as well.

There was a sharp reaction to this statement of Kapil Sibal and he had to retract it the next day when he mentioned that it was up to the IITs to decide.

Raising the minimum percentage of Class XII exams for seeking admission to IIT will really not solve the problems mentioned by the Minister. In fact, it will make it worse!

Presently, students seeking admission to IITs have a singular focus on the JEE. If the minimum pass percentage for Class XII is raised from the present 60 per cent, it will really add to the plight of the students. They will be burdened with far more studies and far more pressure. Also, the requirement for coaching classes will actually increase, as students will scramble from coaching classes for IIT JEE and or class XII.

A proper solution to this problem is to give good options to IIT for students who seek quality engineering education.