While the chorus against the common entrance test for engineering courses in central institutions, proposed by HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, has gotten louder following opposition from IIT-Kanpur’s Senate, Director of IIT-Madras, Bhaskar Ramamurthi, on Saturday said his institution was not averse to the proposed Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and was happy with the mechanics of the test.
Speaking to Express over the phone, Ramamurthi said that while the IIT-Madras had a few issues in the beginning on the weightage attached to Class XII marks, an issue specifically pointed out by the Senate of IIT-Kanpur in the resolution rejecting the common test, most of them were sorted through deliberations. “We wanted 40 per cent weightage for Class XII and 60 for the JEE.They provided 50:50, which we agreed to,” he said.
Replying to questions on specific issues raised by the IIT-Kanpur, including terming the idea of a common test Ultra Vires of the IIT Act, he said he was not aware of any such provision that prohibits such a JEE among all Central institutions.
“I think even the JEE among IITs happened only in due course. To begin with, some of the IITs were holding their individual examinations before evolving towards the a joint test,” he said.
Ramamurthi said that even during the implementation of the OBC reservation, there were differences of opinion among the institutions. However, it was finally decided to go with the decision of the IIT Council.
Asked if such opposition to the proposed test could delay its implemention, given that the Council decided to put it in place from 2013, he said even in the case of IIT-Kanpur, it is only the Senate that has passed the resolution.