Sibal's dream - Single Entrance Test for College Admissions, Career News - By Indiaedunews.net

Sibal's dream - Single Entrance Test for College Admissions, Career News

New Delhi: After the successful implementation of the Reservation Policy in educational institutions, India's Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister, Kapil Sibal, has now set sights on another dream. The dream of implementing a single entrance examination for college admissions across the country.

Setting his target year as 2013, Sibal has spoken in length about making the education system stress-free for students and relieving them of the pressure of appearing for different entrance exams for different educational institutions.

The HRD Ministry, has infact already started the process to understand the feasibility of such a move by setting up a committee under Science & Technology Secretary, T. Ramaswamy. The committee will study the current methodology followed by institutions to select students for undergraduate admissions.

The committee has put up its recommendations on the 'National Testing Scheme (NTS)' for public view, such that the general opinion on the move could be understood.

The current system based on multiples of competitive examination has no parallel in other parts of the world. Most nations employ just one test for assessment of scholastic aptitude instead of a plethora of evaluation tests.

Working with this ideology, the Committee has recommended the use of a singleentrance exam along with due weightage to Class 12 Board examination marks for UG admissions.

"Vast majority of youth living in smaller towns and far flung places as well as economically weaker segments of society are not able to join the competitive streamtoday. For the youth, the future seems to be decided just by success or otherwise in one competitive examination or other. The present system seems to be unwittingly promoting a societal behaviour and a mind set towards differentiation rather than integration", the Committee has said.

WHAT WE FEEL ON THE SINGLE TEST SCHEME
Vast majority of youth living in smaller towns and far flung places as well as economically weaker segments of society are not able to join the competitive streamtoday.

For the youth, the future seems to be decided just by success or otherwise in one competitive examination or other. The present system seems to be unwittingly promoting a societal behaviour and a mind set towards differentiation rather than integration.

In such a scenario, where colleges coming out with unrealistic admission cut offs as high as 100%, a single test for admissions will promote a sense of competitiveness amongst the students. Moreover, all students get an equal opportunity to try and secure a seat in the college of their choice.

Nonetheless, students will be relieved of appearing for various entrance exams. Working on a single exam will definitely raise their standards.