Many candidates due to take the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE-Main) on April 7 have received admission cards containing wrong or incomplete information.
Nearly 12.8 lakh students across the country have applied this year for the JEE, which determines admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology, Indian Institutes of Information Technology and Management, and several other engineering colleges.
This is the first time a combined engineering entrance exam for the institutes is being held, and it will be conducted by the CBSE.
While in some cases, students have received notifications saying they have not submitted vital information; many others have received cards that have photographs of others on them.
“The JEE web page says I did not submit my thumb impression, even though I did. I have a photocopy of my application with it too,” said S. Ashwath, a student who has still not received his proper card.
CBSE officials admitted there were a few cases where students had received erroneous admit cards, but said they were looking into the matter.
Since confusion has prevailed over the issue, the government, which had earlier asked IIT aspirants to provide roll numbers before March 20, has extended the deadline to March 25.
Some candidates who have received cards with wrong photographs said they were afraid this would impede their taking the test. “The photo on my card is of a Kinjal Pankhwa and there are also mistakes in my address. I have sent an email and called the helpline several times but they are yet to send me my correct card,” said R. Nishanth, a student.
Gita Prabhu, managing director of coaching centre AIMS Education, said students in residential schools and those in districts found it difficult to get through the registration process this year. “They had to submit copies with gazette officers’ signatures in particular-sized envelopes that were not available even at stationery shops. The online submission process was not at all user-friendly, many students told us,” she said.
Students have been urged to email the CBSE about any discrepancy on their admit cards at jeemain@nic.in or call the CBSE helpline number 8506061071-78.
