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In the latest release of the mark list of the candidates qualifying in the prestigious IIT-Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) in 2007 by IIT-Bombay under the Right of Information Act (RTI Act), displayed a shocking scenario where even a candidate scoring as low as 7% in the mathematics paper got a decent rank to book his place at one of the most respectable and highly reputed institutions of India.

The disclosure detailed that there were 7,202 general category candidates who qualified the joint entrance examination in 2007 with an average cut off of 206 marks, the total being (162×3) 486 and the individual lowest subject marks of the selected candidates went as low as 12(math), 22(physics) and 18(chemistry).

It was revealed that the candidate scoring 12 marks in mathematics over a total of 162 and an aggregate of 239 over 486 had a rank of 3,989 in the AIR list which can easily and most comfortably fetch him a seat in IIT Kharagpur or IIT Kanpur.

Another candidate who scored 24 marks in mathematics and 245 in the aggregate managed a 3399 AIR good enough to hold the prestigious tag of an IITian.

The amendments in the test process introduced in 2007 have surely brought negative effects over the reputation f this transparent and tough admission system. It is being talked that it might lower the standards of the institute and have brought the authorities into serious thoughts of reviewing the criterion of admission.

Although, it is being believed that the relaxation in the subject wise cut-offs is not being seen as a downfall in the quality of intake by the IIT Bombay authorities but it has been announced that the board would review the system.

N Venkatramani of IIT Bombay, vice-chairman JEE 2007 assured a close review of the new system and a certain refinement in it wherever the pot holes seem to be. Moreover he reminded of the majority of the selected candidature to be the best brains of the country and promising to solve the problems of the cut offs for the next year.

With this we hope that the authorities take up the issue seriously and keep up the repute of this institution.

Tags: Engineering, IIT, IIT JEE, IIT-Bombay, JEE, Literature, RTI Act

The Supreme Court on Thursday giving a historic verdict said ‘Yes’ to 27% quota for Other Backward Classes (OBC) in higher education institutes including the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS).

The five judge Constitution bench headed by the Chief Justice upheld the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006.

However judges has excluded creamy layer among the OBCs from the quota. In general the OBC families with 2.5 lakhs or more annual income are included in creamy layer. Supreme Court asked the government to draw parameters applied for identifying the creamy layer among the OBCs for jobs as per the office memorandum of September 8, 1993, will be applicable for identifying the socially and educationally backward classes.

With the decision of exclusion of creamy layer the court has clarified that the reservation is not only caste based but socio-economic conditions are also important.

Also children of MPS and MLAs are also included in the creamy layer and excluded from the benefit of the quota.

The apex court in its March 29, 2007, interim order stayed the implementation of the Act holding that data based on 1931 census cannot be the determinative factor for the affirmative action.

22.5 % reservation was already reserved for SC/ST, now making a total of 49.5 % for reserved classes.

With today’s decision the reservation will be implemented from 2008 academic session.

A mixed bag of reaction is obtained in response to the decision.

Political parties welcome the verdict to give reservation for OBCs. The judgment comes at a very crucial time for the UPA government as the general elections are just a year away.

Congress said that the quota will be implemented immediately. On the same side its rival BJP also praised the verdict saying the judgment given by SC is correct.

Union HRD Minister Arjun Singh, who had been the most vocal supporter of quota for OBCs called it a historic judgement.

On other side there is another group which is upset with the verdict especially for the exclusion of the creamy layer.

“It is a positive verdict. But while enabling the rules, the government should have a re-look at the criteria to define creamy layer,” Communist Party of India (CPI) leader D. Raja told IANS.

Raja also expressed disappointment over the court’s silence over quotas for OBCs in the private institutions.

Tags: AIIMS, IIT, India, OBC, Quota, Supreme Court

Four new IITs and six IIMs are announced on Friday to be established by Government in various states besides upgrading some of the state universities to the status of central universities. The decision is taken to encourage higher education in the country.

The new IITs would be located in Orissa, Madhya Pradesh (Indore), Gujarat and Punjab and the IIMs would come up in Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh (Raipur), Uttarakhand and Haryana. These new institutions would be part of the eight IITs and seven IIMs proposed to be set up during the 11th five year plan. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has consented for the location of the institutions.

Four IITs in Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and Himachal Pradesh and one IIM at Shillong are already announced. Admissions to new IITs in AP, Rajasthan and Bihar as also IIM in Shillong would start from this year.

Government also proposed to convert the Institute of Technology of the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) into an IIT. Admission to this institute was already based on the IIT-Joint Entrance Examination (IIT-JEE).

The 14 central universities aiming at world class standards would be located in Pune, Kolkata, Coimbatore, Mysore, Visakhapatnam, Gandhinagar, Jaipur, Patna, Bhopal, Kochi, Amritsar, Bhubaneswar, Greater Noida and Guwahati. Land for the universities will be defined shortly. However, their locations will be decided on the basis of infrastructure and connectivity which such universities would need.

Dismissing a suggestion that Kerala has been left out in the exercise, HRD Minister Arjun Singh said the southern state has got a central university and a world class university. “It is not correct that Kerala is left high and dry”, he said.

A central university each for Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Goa is suggested.

Dr Hari Singh Gaur University at Sagar in Madhya Pradesh, Guru Ghasidas University at Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh and Goa University will be converted into central universities.

To a question on the Right to Education Bill, he said a cabinet note on the issue has been circulated and his ministry was awaiting planning commission’s response on it. He hoped the bill to provide free and compulsory education to children in the 6-14 age groups would be introduced and passed in parliament.

Tags: Cabinet, IIM, IIT