There was an announcement from the government that there would be a common entrance exam for all students. This came as a shock for some and joy for others. The shock obviously came from IIT alumni and well-wishers of our nation, and joy from those hundreds of students who easily get more than 1100 in the State Board, but fail to crack IIT.
The State Board results do not portray the actual understanding or the ability of logical reasoning of a student; dedicated rote-learning can get a student anywhere around 1150 (State Board students are well-known for their so called mugging-up capabilities) and that's the reason that there is such randomness in their results compared to the true ability of a student. Now, CET will introduce this in the IITs as well.
Cheating the system
The IITs and NITs have earned themselves a separate status and high standard owing to their uniqueness. They conduct efficient entrance tests which almost effectively filter out the best possible students. However, since 50 per cent of the marks would be accounted by the State Board results, one can imagine how massive a damage this would cause. Higher marks does not mean greater understanding; this becomes more valid when one talks of State Board. In such a situation this decision will bring down the standard of those premier institutions in the long run and it'll do no good for the nation whatsoever. In the name of improving the education system, taking such a decision was like shooting an arrow in the dark.
Wake-up call
I hope the decision makers rethink it, that this change is least needed and if at all they're so tempted to improve the system, wouldn't it be better if they concentrated on improving the State Board's system of teaching and evaluation? Anything done would be productive compared to the time wasted over discussing cartoons in parliament.
HITESH SOLANKY, III Year, Jaya Engineering College
