Prepare for the new IIT entrance test

Last updated: January 27, 2006 | 00:00

2 MIN READ

The exam of the Indian Institutes of Technology is still tough, but less stressful. K. Subramanian has the details

T he IITs have finally decided to change the draconian exam format to something simpler. The JEE or Joint Entrance Exam conducted by the IITs is moving towards a single-phase objective-type examination.

The pattern is more in line with the existing pattern of the other most prominent national-level engineering entrance examination - the AIEEE (All India Engineering Entrance Exam).

The notification announcing the changes in the IIT-JEE pattern emphasises that the new pattern will check for:

Aptitude
Comprehension
And analytical abilities

Need for the change

Increase in the number of coaching classes and therefore the workload on students.
Students neglect school and board examinations and in some cases attend coaching classes rather than school. The stress is very high because the standard of JEE is very high.
When examinations become too competitive then coaching centres take advantage of the situation.

What is IIT?

The Indian Institutes of Technology were created as centres of excellence for higher training, research and development in science, engineering and technology in India.
They are located in Delhi, Kanpur, Khargpur, Chennai, Mumbai Roorkee and Guwahati.
The selection to the IITs is through the Joint Entrance Exams which are taken by over 175,000 students out of which about 4,000 get selected.

Comments on the new exam

Professor M.S. Ananth, Director, IIT-Madras since 2001
"The major criterion is an ability to analyse a situation with what you know. If you know your fundamentals you will be able to tackle the new JEE quite well."

Professor Arun Roy, who has been coaching students for the IIT-JEE for the past 25 years
"Do not lower your guard. The only thing you can avoid is to try out long mathematical questions if you're appearing for IIT-JEE in 2006. For those who are appearing in 2007, trying out some longer questions (subjective type) will have academic value. After all, it still checks, at one go, the concepts behind some short questions taken together."

PRESENT FUTURE IMPLICATIONSExisting JEE Format (-2005)New JEE Format (From 2006)| Two-phase: Screening and mainsSingle examWill reduce stress, as the number of exams they need to write has been reduced.Test of objective (screening), as well as subjective questions (mains)Write-up based objective questionsStudents must focus more on clarity of concepts. Focus on lengthy and tedious questions reduced.Eligibility: Just pass marks in class XIIEligibility: 60 per cent in class XIIMore than 95 per cent of students who pass JEE would have scored more than 60 per cent in their respective boards.No restriction on number of attempts. Only age restrictionStudent will be allowed to appear for the JEE in the year that he/she has appeared for board examination and once more the next yearSerious impact on students who did their XII in 2003 or earlier and are currently preparing for JEE. From now on, a few students will choose to complete XII and then prepare for JEE, as they will have only one chance to compete. As a result most of the students will have to prepare along with board studies

The writer is head of the Dubai branch of Career Launcher, one of the largest education corporates of India

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