University and College Admissions - India

India

Most Indian universities participate in one or another centralized admission procedure. In summer 2011, an Indian institution was expecting 100% score for gaining admission, highlighting the crisis of confidence in quality of higher education in general and also limitations of admissions process. National tests and interviews are organized by an independent body composed of members of the participating organizations. Little weight is given to applicants’ past academic record and more to their exam results. Applicants are ranked by exam grades, and submit their preference of universities/programs based on their rank and choice. Some such common entrance tests are:

• Joint Entrance Exam (JEE), the undergraduate exam for the seven Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs);
• Common Admission Test (CAT), XAT, JMAT, MAT or SNAP, the graduate exams for the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and other business schools;
• Graduate Admission Test of Engineering (GATE), the graduate exam for the IITs;
• All India Engineering Entrance Exam (AIEEE) for admission to Undergraduate Engineering and Architecture / Design courses;
• Pre Medical Test (PMT)-conducted by the CBSE; the entrance exam for admission to MBBS program;

However, Things have now changed and the AIEEE is converted into JEE (MAIN). And the earlier JEE for IITs has converted into JEE (Advanced). All students first have to qualify JEE (MAIN) to be able to appear in JEE (Advanced) under certain criterion. Students need to be in the 20 percentile of their respective boards. Their score of JEE (MAIN) will be formulated by combining the 40% score of their BOARD Examination and 60% of their JEE (MAIN) paper's score. Only the pure JEE (ADVANCED) score will be considered for selection in IITs. JEE (Main) will be on the same pattern as earlier AIEEE. JEE (ADVANCED) will be on the same pattern as earlier JEE. Changes in system take place from 2012.

States have their own admissions exams and policies. For example, the state of Maharashtra uses the HSC test as a prerequisite for entering Degree level college and uses the SSC test as a prerequisite for entering Junior Level college as well as Diploma Level College.Apart from that 15% reserved for NRI / Foreign students