IITs stall single aptitude test idea

The idea of a single entrance/aptitude test replacing multiple entry-level examinations, as mooted by Union HRD minister Kapil Sibal, has been opposed by the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).

There was no consensus on a single entrance examination— National Aptitude Test (NAT) — during a meeting of the IIT Council in New Delhi on Friday; also, the IITs were against the idea of completely scrapping their Joint Entrance Examination (JEE).

Seven out of 15 institutes favoured a separate “add-on” test in addition to NAT as proposed by the committee on examination reforms.

While members agreed that multiple-entrance tests put pressure on students and their parents, no consensus could be reached on how to go about reforming the system.

“There was unanimity on changing the present examination system of JEE and AIEEE and reduce the multiplicity of entrance exams. But the seven IITs, which included both new and old ones, did not wish to limit themselves to NAT and wanted an extra examination to select their students,” said IIT Guwahati director Gautam Barua.

Almost all IITs favoured giving more weightage to standard 12 examinations and allowing only the top students of each state to take NAT. 

Keen on doing away with multiple entrance tests, Sibal set up another committee to suggest an entrance model for engineering.

The committee, to be chaired by T Ramasami, secretary, Department of Science and Technology, will review test methodologies for selecting students. It will explore the feasibility of having a common system for admission to the IITs, IISERs, NITs and other engineering colleges. The report is expected to be submitted in three months.

The minister felt that a single examination will save students from sitting in 150 entrances conducted by various state board and institutions including the IITs.

“If IITs have an ‘add-on’ exam, then nothing stops other institutions like planning and architecture colleges among others to have their ‘add-ons’. In such a scenario, it will be back to the same system where students take numerous exams each year,” said Sibal.

Foreign nationals on permanent faculty positions
The IIT council has agreed in principle to allow foreign nationals on permanent faculty positions. The MHRD has decided to pursue with the home ministry for amending the Indian Citizenship Act as it currently prevents foreign nationals to work in institutes of national importance. The aim is to facilitate recruitment of foreign faculty on a permanent basis. The IITs have proposed to meet their faculty shortage by recruiting about 10% of foreign faculty members. Similarly, foreign students may be allowed admission up to 20%, on a super-numerary basis in post-graduate programmes, without affecting the present admission norms for Indian students.