In what could be one of the biggest changes to India’s higher education admission system in recent years, the Centre is considering giving Class 12 board examination marks up to 50 per cent weightage in admissions to professional courses that are currently based primarily on entrance exams such as NEET and JEE, according to sources. The proposal is part of a wider overhaul of the country’s examination system aimed at reducing the pressure of high-stakes entrance tests and promoting a more balanced evaluation of students.
The reforms are being examined by a nine-member committee constituted by the Ministry of Education last year to study issues such as students’ growing dependence on coaching institutes, the rise of “dummy schools”, and concerns over fairness and credibility in major entrance examinations. The panel is expected to submit its final report to the government in the coming weeks.
At present, admissions to undergraduate medical and engineering courses are almost entirely determined by scores in entrance examinations like NEET and JEE, while board examination marks are used only to determine eligibility. Under the proposed system, admissions would be based on a combination of 50 per cent board marks and 50 per cent entrance test scores, giving greater importance to students’ consistent academic performance throughout school.
The panel is also considering several other key reforms. These include aligning entrance examination syllabi more closely with school curricula to reduce reliance on coaching centres, allowing students multiple attempts at entrance tests, and gradually introducing adaptive, on-demand computer-based examinations that adjust question difficulty based on a candidate’s performance. These measures are intended to make examinations more student-friendly while improving fairness and accessibility.
The proposed changes come against the backdrop of repeated controversies surrounding India’s examination system, including allegations of paper leaks, evaluation errors and other irregularities that have raised concerns over the credibility of high-stakes entrance exams. Policymakers believe that reducing dependence on a single examination could make the admission process more equitable and restore public confidence in the system.
However, the proposal is still under consideration, and no final decision has been taken by the government. If approved, the reforms would mark a significant shift in the admission process for millions of students aspiring to pursue medical and engineering education across the country.
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