Class 12 marks to not affect JEE rank
Class XII marks will not be a factor for determining rankings in the Joint Entrance Examination for admissions to engineering undergraduate courses in IITs. HRD Ministry officials said the decision was taken after a committee set up by the IIT Council submitted recommendations on changes in the JEE pattern. Class XII marks will determine eligibility (minimum 75%) for JEE and not the overall rank.
The prevailing process of admission
The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), in its current format, consists of two papers- the JEE(Main) and the JEE(Advanced). The top 200,000 students from the JEE(Main) test are allowed to take the JEE(Advanced) test. 40% weightage is given to board marks, and 60% to JEE(Main) scores for admission into NITs, IIITs, and Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs). Admission to IITs depend on JEE(Advanced) marks.
A single exam for IITs and NITs
The Ministry of Human Resource Development proposed a single test for admission into the IITs and NITs. To further the HRD ministry's strategy, a committee was constituted by the IIT Council and the NIT Council. The 40% weightage on board marks is to be scrapped and admission to the institutes will be based solely on JEE scores. The final decision is scheduled for November.
The committee
The committee set up to further the HRD ministry's plans will be headed by the Chairperson of IIT-Roorkee. Ashok Mishra. Fomer IIT-Madras Director, Prof. Anant, DRDO scientist Tessy Thomas and IIT-Kharagpur Chairperson Pavan Goenka are some of the other members.
Joint Entrance Examination to see major changes
The structure of JEE is set to see major changes in 2017, after recommendations by The Committee of Eminent Persons (CEP) are implemented. The Human Resource Development ministry has also been urged by the CEP to take measures to improve school education and methods of examination by various boards. The JEE will be conducted in its current format till the proposed changes are incorporated.
Aptitude tests to be introduced for JEE
As per the recommendations of the CEP, a National Testing Service shall be set up by 2016. This online aptitude test will be modelled to test scientific thinking rather than learning. Based on the National Testing Service results, 400,000 candidates will be shortlisted for taking JEE. The JEE itself will test knowledge in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics and shall be conducted by the IITs.
Reasons for the proposed changes to the JEE
The current system of admission, according to IITs and NITs, generally favour heavily tutored but not-so-talented students. The HRD ministry's proposal aims to "reduce exam pressure" and check "coaching dependence...without diluting testing quality", according to the terms of reference The CEP has also recommended the IITs to set up a system for mock JEEs so as to reduce student dependency on coaching institutions.
