IIT dreams dashed for HS students

Updated on: Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Kolkata: Many Higher Secondary (HS) students across West Bengal had their IIT dreams dashed after HRD minister Kapil Sibal’s decision that those scoring at least 80 per cent in their Class XII board exams were eligible.

Up until now students scoring 60 per cent in their HS were eligible to take IIT-JEE. Students taking the exam in 2011 will now have to score between 80 and 85 per cent.

Students are worried as HS is a difficult exam to score in compared to the Delhi boards.

The HS Council has also admitted that its students stand to lose as it is difficult to score such high marks in the exam. The exam has been restructured so that students are able to get higher marks, but even then it will be tough to score marks that high. Authorities are unwilling to introduce objective-styled questions in the exam so students can score higher marks on the basis that such questions do not test student knowledge.

Less than 5 per cent of the 4.62 lakh students who took HS this year scored over 80 per cent.

ST/SC candidates will also be affected by the move as they will have to score between 70 and 75 per cent.

IIT dreams dashed for HS students

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