Indian students in UAE welcomed the new standards set for admissions in the Indian Institute of Technology by Indian educationists. It will come into effect from next year.
The new standards include scrapping the preliminary examination and setting a first division score in Grade 12 as a prerequisite for applications to the IIT.
Applicants will only be allowed to sit for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) twice in two successive years.
Under the existing eligibility criteria a candidate for the JEE should pass the final examination of the Grade 12 (or equivalent) with physics, chemistry and mathematics.
Announcement of the new criteria was made in India after Idi Chandy, former chairman of the Joint Entrance Examination made a review of the existing eligibility criteria. The IIT council approved the new decision and all the directors of the seven IIT institutes in the country.
Reacting to the new standards, Grade 12 students in Indian curriculum schools who are yet to receive an official circular on the new admission standards said that it would help them to get a seat at any one of the seven IIT institutes in India.
Gaurav Itwari a Grade 12 science student who is plans to join the IIT said: "I am very glad that at last the authorities concerned have brought down the number of attempts that candidate can take at the JEE."
Naresh Rao also a Grade 12 science student said: "We feel quite positive with the new admission criteria that has been set for IIT. Each year in India there are thousands of students who have cleared Grade 12 sitting for the examination. Non-resident Indian students from Indian curriculum schools hardly get a chance."
Arati Gupta another Grade 12 science student from Abu Dhabi said: "What the IIT directors have done is fantastic. I feel quite hopeful that I would now be able to get a seat at anyone of the IIT colleges. I am well aware that the competition is going be tough but at least from next year the number of candidates sitting for the JEE will be less."
Ashok Kumar, principal of Indian High School, Dubai said the new criteria would help in elimination of dull students.
He said: "Each year there are so many aspirants for the IIT. Obviously by setting a first division as a must criteria, it will eliminate students who cannot cope with IIT studies and drop out after the first semester.
Neelam Upadhaya, principal of Indian School, Al Ain said: "IIT is a pretty tough course. The new rule will serve as a screening process of the above average students. I have come across a lot of students who found the IIT courses tough when they reach the first semester."
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