Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Jul 3: Class 12 board examination scores could account for up to 50 per cent of the weightage in key entrance examinations such as JEE and NEET, according to recommendations made by a committee constituted by the Ministry of Education to examine reforms in the country's examination system.
Sources said the nine-member panel has proposed giving significant weight to Class 12 board performance in admissions to higher educational institutions, with entrance examination scores making up the remaining weightage.
If approved, the proposal would mark a major departure from the existing admission process, under which entry to institutions such as the IITs and medical colleges is based primarily on national-level entrance examination scores.
The committee has also explored ways to better align school education with competitive examinations, amid concerns that the current system encourages excessive dependence on coaching centres and places undue emphasis on a single high-stakes test.
The panel is expected to submit its report to the Ministry of Education in the coming weeks.
Officials said the recommendations are still under consideration and no final decision has been taken. Any changes to the admission process for engineering and medical courses would require consultations with the concerned authorities, including agencies responsible for conducting the entrance examinations.
According to officials, the proposed reforms aim to encourage consistent academic performance throughout school while reducing students' dependence on one-time, high-pressure entrance tests.
If implemented, the changes could significantly impact lakhs of students appearing for Class 12 board examinations and national-level entrance tests every year.
The Ministry of Education is also exploring the possibility of combining the NEET and IIT-JEE entrance examinations. It had informed a Parliamentary panel in June that such a move could reduce dependence on external agencies responsible for conducting the tests.