IIT-JEE results: Barrier is now being breached by ‘low’ scorers

Gone are the days when only the cream of the student community could get a ticket into the hallowed halls of the 16 Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) spread across the country. Experts say that due to a boom in the number of coaching classes for the highly competitive IIT-JEE, a rising number of students who scored above 70% in their class XII exam, have been able to crack the entrance exam.

Entry into an IIT is no longer restricted to students who have scored in the 90% bracket in their class XII exam. An increasing number of average students who have scored in the 70% range are also making it to the IITs this year.

Says a former IIT student, “A few years ago, JEE used to be very difficult. There were only 3,000 seats and to get one of them was a tough job. But now there are close to 10,000 seats. So getting admission has become relatively easier.”

Due to a growth spurt in the number of coaching classes across the country, more students are receiving expert guidance and regular coaching to crack the IIT-JEE. Besides Kota and Mumbai, other places like Hyderabad and Bihar too are becoming prominent IIT-JEE coaching class hubs.

“Almost all students enroll into coaching classes by class IX and this gives them a good two-three years for preparation. Through regular practice, mock exams and extensive reading, even an average student is able to master the art of cracking the exam. We have seen nearly 25% of students who have scored below 80% in their HSC manage to qualify in the exam,” said Lokesh Khandelwal, founder-director, Resonance Coaching Classes.