IIT Bombay votes against new JEE
In a poll conducted by the IIT-B Alumni Association (IITBAA), it has been found that 78% of the 1,800 respondents voted against the new two-tier Joint Entrance Exam (JEE). The respondents included faculty members, students and alumni of IIT Bombay.
The online poll was started before the compromise formula was reached but was kept open for a week after the new JEE formula was announced. The respondents were questioned on whether the new exam was a threat to IIT-B’s autonomy, will it dilute the brand value of the exam, appropriateness of the process followed by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), and whether IIT Bombay should hold its own entrance test. The opinions did not change much even after the compromise.
Overall, 78% respondents did not support the new exam pattern, including 49% faculty members, 70% alumni and 85% students. Read more
IITBAA submitted the poll results along with its recommendations to IIT B senate during the recent meeting. The recommendations included:
- IITs are autonomous and hence should control all its academic aspects, including the selection procedure for new students;
- IIT JEE should continue, i.e., admission to IITs should be based on a common entrance exam administered by the IITs;
- Changes in the JEE format should adhere to the above guiding principles. Know more
While the IITBAA cannot compel the senate of IIT Bombay to change its decisions, it has chosen this way to express its opinions and viewpoints. The respondents included a fair number of students, alumni, and faculty members from other IITs as well.
Poll stats
- 93% respondents felt that the MHRD has tried to bypass the autonomy of IITs.
- 50% respondents felt that not only were IIT statutes, Act and senates undermined, but the proposed solutions for the new JEE were not good enough. See details
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