The past weekend brought with it a lot of eager anticipation, nervousness, hopes and dreams across the nation to culmination with what might probably be the last ever IITJEE examination. Started in 1960, this examination has metamorphosed with passing time to gain its current status as one of the toughest exams to crack worldwide. Though it has contributed significantly to the global standing of the IITs for its very low admission rate that that would not be my primary argument in favour of JEE as I too am among the vast majority that is resisting the scrapping of this exam in favour of a common entrance exam from next year.
Having myself been an aspirant of JEE and also a current student of IIT Bombay I can say with confidence that preparing for it was a remarkable learning experience contributing significantly to my knowledge above and beyond the scope of my school curriculum. Even today the weeks preceding it were filled with guiding our juniors, critically analysing the paper and waiting for the results that would bring in fresh faces into our campus. You might pass of everything I saw hence forth as being sheer sentimentality on my part and a desire to retain my institute's elite status and would be correct to some extent in thinking so. But it stems more from a hope that India does not throw away its recognised supremacy in higher education for agendas that are not really for our profit or welfare.
The proposal of the HRD ministry for a common entrance exam and the proposed pros of the same are riddled with problems that are too glaring but are being ignored. The govt. claims that one common exam would reduce the stress for students as well as curb the "menace" of coaching institutes which is in itself a ridiculous notion as only one shot at admissions would tend to increase both of these for it would now be a do or die situation. The other proposal of giving weightage to 12th Board marks is excessively impractical as there is a wide variation in the marking trends of the numerous boards that exist in India and the correction of board papers has time and again been brought under the scanner for all the scams that plague this process.
Why then is the govt. so determined to abolish a world renowned exam and bring in its place a system that is not only impractical but also does not have the backing of the states who refuse to do away with their entrance exams or bring about a uniform board and are well within their rights in a federal system to do so. Call me a conspiracy theorist but the only logical explanation seems that the impending setting up of Indian campuses of foreign universities has triggered this chain of events. And to please the powers that be "IITJEE" is being offered as the sacrificial lamb in a tragic attempt to reduce the IITs status and dethrone them from their position as premier institutes to accommodate these new arrivals...
Having myself been an aspirant of JEE and also a current student of IIT Bombay I can say with confidence that preparing for it was a remarkable learning experience contributing significantly to my knowledge above and beyond the scope of my school curriculum. Even today the weeks preceding it were filled with guiding our juniors, critically analysing the paper and waiting for the results that would bring in fresh faces into our campus. You might pass of everything I saw hence forth as being sheer sentimentality on my part and a desire to retain my institute's elite status and would be correct to some extent in thinking so. But it stems more from a hope that India does not throw away its recognised supremacy in higher education for agendas that are not really for our profit or welfare.
The proposal of the HRD ministry for a common entrance exam and the proposed pros of the same are riddled with problems that are too glaring but are being ignored. The govt. claims that one common exam would reduce the stress for students as well as curb the "menace" of coaching institutes which is in itself a ridiculous notion as only one shot at admissions would tend to increase both of these for it would now be a do or die situation. The other proposal of giving weightage to 12th Board marks is excessively impractical as there is a wide variation in the marking trends of the numerous boards that exist in India and the correction of board papers has time and again been brought under the scanner for all the scams that plague this process.
Why then is the govt. so determined to abolish a world renowned exam and bring in its place a system that is not only impractical but also does not have the backing of the states who refuse to do away with their entrance exams or bring about a uniform board and are well within their rights in a federal system to do so. Call me a conspiracy theorist but the only logical explanation seems that the impending setting up of Indian campuses of foreign universities has triggered this chain of events. And to please the powers that be "IITJEE" is being offered as the sacrificial lamb in a tragic attempt to reduce the IITs status and dethrone them from their position as premier institutes to accommodate these new arrivals...
Here's hoping we don't need to say "R.I.P JEE" !!!
accha likha hai! :D
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