IIT aspirants still in a bind

When the IITs and the central government reached a compromise last week on the proposal for a single national-level test, most stakeholders thought that was the last they would hear of the row. But key concerns have still not been addressed. Is this just the calm before the storm? Pallavi Smart finds out

Naveeta Singh (name changed) is not buying into claims that the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the ministry of human resource development’s (MHRD) ‘compromise formula’ will help cut through the clutter.

“Sure, the compromise formula has brought in a sense of justice. But the government’s push to have it implemented soon hardly gives candidates any time to understand the new pattern and to prepare accordingly. There is no clarity on the process of examinations as well,” argues the resident of Mahim.

The compromise formula was drawn up following a huge uproar over the MHRD’s proposal for a single, national-level entrance examination for admissions to IITs, centrally-funded institutes as well as private, aided and unaided engineering institutes. The IITs took umbrage at the plan ‘to interfere with its autonomy’. Students worked up a sweat over the clause that board examination results will be given equal weightage. Quick on the heels came several debates, a number of protests by all stakeholders — the faculty and students — and several online petitions against the proposal.

The last straw was IIT-Delhi and IIT-Kanpur’s act of defiance — they both refused to kowtow to the government 'unfair' plan. The joint admission board of the IITs then drew up a compromise formula, which was approved by the IIT council and the Centre.

As per the new pattern, which is expected to be effective from next year, there will be entrance examinations on two levels —main and advanced. The main tests will be on a par with the All India engineering entrance examinations. A total of 1.5 lakh shortlisted candidates can then appear for the advanced test. But, there has been no relenting on the bone of contention — giving equal importance to board examination results. Aspirants who make it through the advanced test level have to be among the top 20% scorers of their board to stake a claim on a seat in the IIT.

Old wine in new bottle?
Many parents allege that the new formula skirts key concerns. When the compromise formula was given the green light, many stakeholders thought that it was the last time they would hear of the row. But those who were planning to initiate a public interest litigation (PIL) in court, with the help of an NGO, before the formula was drawn up and approved are refusing to lower their guard. “We are mainly opposed to the haste in implementing the ‘reforms’.

Candidates will not get sufficient time to brace themselves for the changes and prepare accordingly,” says a parent whose son has been preparing for the IIT-joint entrance examination (JEE) for the last few years.

Another parent is just as worried. “Reports claim that the IIT joint admission board will finalise details in August. That will leave just seven months to prepare for the examinations. How do they expect students to get ready for the new pattern in such span of time? Even changes made at the school-level are brought into effect at the start of an academic year.” Jayant Jain, president of the Forum for Fairness in Education, the NGO that was helping parents approach the court, says, “The PIL was decided to be filed mainly to oppose the government’s rush in implementing the JEE reforms. Students start preparing for it as soon as they pass out of Class IX. They will obviously get confused if a new formula for selection is put up before them at the end of their preparations.”

What many parents can’t get over is the IIT faculty’s sudden change of heart. It had put up a strong front against the government’s rush in bringing about ‘reforms’. But after the IITs and the Centre reached a compromise, all and sundry claim that students will not made to suffer.

A member of the IIT-Bombay faculty says, “There is not much of a change in the pattern. The basic curriculum is still the same.”

Flawed objectives
IIT aspirants, however, clarify that’s not what’s got their goat. To date, candidates have had to focus only on the JEE to break into the top ranks. But when the new system becomes effective, they will have to score equally well in their board examinations.

“Earlier, I knew I just had to score above 60% in the board examinations. But now, I will have to focus just as much to be among the top 20% scorers in my board of examination,” says a student.

Candidates even claim that the government’s objective to scrap multiple entrance tests to ease the pressure on them falls through. Earlier, although there were several entrance tests, each varying in the level of difficulty, students made up their minds about which to focus more on. Now, they will have to worry about three examinations — the board, the main and the advanced. And, as a student puts it, “not one can be taken casually”.

An IIT-Bombay professor says board examinations should not cause much worry as going by the precedent, students cracking the JEE have been top performers in board examinations. But, good just isn’t enough; the clincher here is to be among the top 20% of scorers in their respective board, the strength of which will differ each year depending on factors such as size of the board, difficulty levels and evaluation pattern.  

Praveen Tyagi, managing director of IITian’s PACE, a coaching class for the JEE, wonders why students are being forced to concentrate on Class XII examinations when the quality of board-level education is questionable.

Another floundering argument of the government in pushing for a single, national-level entrance test is that it will reduce the dependency on coaching classes, which have been flourishing given the umpteen number of entrance examinations that candidates sit. But, Tyagi explains, “Students will still seek specialised coaching even if it’s just for a single entrance test.”

A parent from Andheri says the new format will, in fact, make coaching classes thrive. “When my son was preparing for engineering entrance examinations four years ago, he joined coaching classes. He managed studying for board examinations on his own. But this time, my daughter, who is also preparing for admission to an engineering institution, may have to go for coaching even for board examinations.”

Much is still left
The IIT council is still looking at the nitty-gritty of the new JEE, like whether to design the advanced test in the subjective format.

While most of the teaching faculty prefers posing subjective questions to candidates to assess their ‘true merit’, it might be difficult to do so given the large number of candidates (1.5lakh) who’ll make it to that stage. “Yes, it’s a difficult task, but not an impossible one. The merits and demerits of a subjective format will have to evaluated,” says Dr RA Mashelkar, chairperson of IIT-Gandhinagar who is also a member of the IIT council.

Mashelkar refuses to call the new format a compromise. He, instead, claims that it is a win-win situation for all stakeholders.

“This system achieves five principals — reducing the pressure of multiple entrance tests, giving school studies their due importance, ensuring that only the best of the lot make it through, allowing equal opportunity to all meritorious students and retaining the autonomy of the IITs.”

The senate of IIT-Bombay will hold a meeting on Thursday, which was originally called to discuss the institute’s stand on the old reforms proposed by the MHRD. Now that much water has flowed under the bridge since the decision to call such a meeting was taken, the discussions are likely to focus on the format of the advanced test and 20% eligibility criterion.

Stirring a hornet’s nest
The ministry of human resource development proposed a single, national-level entrance examination for admission to engineering and technological colleges across the country —the IITs, centrally-funded institutes, and several private, aided and unaided engineering institutes.

The proposal was not received well by any of the IITs and other stakeholders, such as the faculty and students. It took several debates, a number of protests, severe online petitions, and IIT-Delhi and IIT-Kanpur’s refusal to accept the changes and to continue with their own entrance tests to make the joint admission board of the IITs draw up a compromise formula, which was ratified by the IIT council and the central government.

Breaking it down
According to the new pattern, the IIT-joint entrance examination will be split into two parts — a main test and an advanced test.

The main test will be on a par with the All India engineering entrance examination.

A total of 1.5 lakh candidates will be shortlisted. These will then be eligible to appear for the advanced test.

A candidate who makes it through will also be required to have been placed among the top 20% scorers of his/her respective board to be eligible for a seat in the IITs.