New IIT test format draws fire

New IIT test format draws fire

IIT-Delhi Alumni May Go To Court To Stop Combined Exam - TOI 31st May 2012

New Delhi: The combined entrance test for admission to central engineering institutes, including Indian Institutes for Technology (IITs), has come under fire from the institute’s alumni and students, with the IIT Faculty Federation shooting off a letter to PM Manmohan Singh strongly opposing the move. 

IIT Delhi alumni president Somnath Bharti said they were considering legal recourse. “We are looking at legal options,’’ he said, adding that the new format would increase dependence on coaching institutes and would be subject to the varying standards of Class XII boards, bringing down the standard of the premier institute. Sources in IIT said several directors were unhappy with the decision to bring these changes but were left with little option but to comply. 

All India IIT Faculty Federation secretary A K Mittal said, “We feel cheated. Despite promising us that no steps will be taken if there is any dissent, the HRD minister has gone ahead.’’ Mittal said they had written to the PM highlighting the practical problems of introducing a new format in 2013. Five out of the seven IIT senates had opposed the move and are opposed to academic control being taken away from IIT. 

Author Chetan Bhagat, an ex-IITian, tweeted, “It makes me extremely sad to see an institution that gave me so much being destroyed by politicians.’’ Describing the decision to have a new exam as “disastrous’’, Bhagat said, “The new IIT selection rules part of government’s ‘Can’t make new A-grade institutions. Let’s destroy what we have policy.’’ 

In a sharp criticism about weightage being given to Class XII board exam, Bhagat said, “In my Class XII practicals, people who knew the teacher got full marks. Now that will count in the IIT entrance.’’

He was joined by Super 30’s Anand Kumar who said the decision would tilt against rural students. “Students who come from rural backgrounds manage to pass by studying on their own. They will not be able to compete with others,’’ he said. 

“If there can be one test for more competitive AIIMS examination, which has fewer seats and more candidates, and IIMs, why can't there be such a similar test for the IITs”, Kumar said, adding that the pressure of three tests, especially the JEE advanced that is expected to be tougher, will increase mental stress on children. 

Anand also opposed the move to introduce the new system by next year. His Super 30, set up a decade ago, has been lauded by Time magazine as the best in Asia. The institute provides free residential coaching to 30 meritorious students from the underprivileged sections of society and so far 263 students have made it to the IITs. 

Maintaining that there was uncertainty still about the mechanism of the proposed two-tier test, a worried parent Sanjiv Malhotra said if JEE-mains and JEE-advanced were held the same day, it would be psychologically draining for the students. “If the student is not able to give the test on the assigned day, he stands to lose one precious year,’’ he said.