Candidates appearing for the Joint Entrance Exam (Main) will be able to take a computer-based mock version of the exam in January, CBSE officials have announced.
This has brought much relief to students as the main exam, an entry for prestigious engineering colleges across the country is being held for the first time.
“We are not even sure how much of the class XI syllabus the exam will have. Now with a mock test, the pattern will a little clearer,” said S. Shanmuga, an IIT aspirant.
This year, the JEE (main) to be held in April will replace the All India Engineering Entrance Exam (AIEEE) and will be the first stage for admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). Candidates have the option of appearing for either the online exam or the computerised version of the exam. Registrations close on December 15.
According to an official estimate, more than 1.2 million students are expected to appear for the test. The test will be conducted both in the pen-and-paper and online formats.
There are nearly 25,000 seats available in all centrally-funded engineering schools, including 9,700 at the 15 IITs. CBSE officials said the mock test would be conducted for nearly three months, beginning in the second week of January.
There will be more than one sample test available for aspirants, an official said. For selection to the IITs, students who finish among the top 1,50,000 in the entrance test will sit for another exam. To qualify for admission, they will need to finish in the top 20 percentile of their respective school board exams.
This time, students will be allowed to make changes in their application form, once in January, after the ongoing registration process for the exam ends in mid-December.
A window for registered candidates will be opened, enabling them to make suitable corrections on their forms with regarding to issues including personal details, test-taking city and preference for centre, an official said.
