West Bengal JEE abolition still under consideration

Kolkata : Dec 11 -The proposal to abolish the West Bengal joint entrance examination (JEE) and admit students to medical colleges on the basis of their performance in the Class XII board exams is still under consideration, higher education minister Sudarshan Ray Chaudhuri said in the Assembly on Monday.

According to him, the state government might reconsider the proposal, depending on the verdict in a case related to introduction of a similar system in Tamil Nadu.

“Students are being admitted to medical colleges in Tamil Nadu on the basis of their Class XII marks. We had sent a team of higher education department officials to the state to study the system. The officials have submitted their report,” said the minister.

He added: “However, a case has been filed against the Tamil Nadu government’s move. We will take a decision on the issue if the court rules in favour of admitting medical students according to their board examination marks.”

The minister was replying to a question by Manas Bhuniya of the Congress on steps being taken to make the JEE more transparent, in the wake of the medical entrance scam.

Ray Chaudhuri pointed out that there were difficulties in re-introducing the pre-1962 system of admitting students to medical colleges on the basis of marks obtained in the school-leaving examinations. “There are 32 boards that organise Plus-II exams in India. We must have a clear policy regarding cut-off marks that covers all the boards.”

During the discussion, the minister said the upper-age limit of candidates seeking admission to medical courses through the JEE might also be raised.

To ensure that only fresh pass-outs make it to the medical courses, the state government had abolished the practice of allowing candidates to appear in the JEE (medical) as many times as they wanted to.

It was decided that from 2008, students will be allowed to appear in the JEE (medical) three times, starting from the year they sit for their Class XII exams for the first time.

For example, candidates who have passed Higher Secondary or an equivalent examination before 2006 will not be able to sit for next year’s JEE (medical).

The minister said the 2008 JEE would be held according to the new rules. “But discussions are on to allow aspiring students more chances to appear in the medical entrance tests.”

Source The Telegraph