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Detoxifying India’s entrance examination system | Current Affairs | Vision IAS

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Detoxifying India’s entrance examination system

2 min read

Reforming India's Undergraduate Admission System

The intense competition in India's undergraduate admission process, particularly for prestigious institutions like IITs, has given rise to a pervasive coaching industry and significant student stress.

Current Challenges

  • Entrance Examinations: Entrance exams like the JEE, NEET, CUET, and CLAT see nearly 70 lakh participants annually, competing for a limited number of seats.
  • Coaching Dependency: The pressure has led to a booming coaching industry, with costs ranging from ₹6 lakh to ₹7 lakh for a two-year program.
  • Psychological Impact: The system fosters stress, depression, and alienation among students, often resulting in student suicides.

Critique of the Current System

  • The entrance examination system creates a false meritocracy, privileging those who can afford coaching and exacerbating urban-rural, gender, and regional disparities.

Global Inspirations and Recommendations

India can learn from international models to reform its system:

  • The Netherlands: Uses a weighted lottery system for medical school admissions to promote diversity and reduce pressure.
  • China's "Double Reduction" Policy: This policy banned for-profit tutoring, aiming to reduce financial burdens and protect student well-being.

Proposed Solutions for India

  • Simplifying Admissions: Relying on Class 12 board exam scores (e.g., 80% threshold) and using a weighted lottery for admissions.
  • Incorporating Reservations: Include reservations for gender, region, and rural backgrounds within the lottery system.
  • Enhancing Equity: Reserve 50% of IIT seats for rural students from government schools to promote social mobility.
  • Nationalized Coaching: If exams continue, ban or nationalize coaching, providing free online resources.

Long-term Impact

  • Holistic Growth: A lottery-based system would allow students to engage in broader educational experiences beyond coaching.
  • Social Equality: It would reduce financial barriers, providing equal opportunities for all qualified students.

The reform aims to create a fair, equitable, and sustainable admission process, fostering genuine talent and reducing undue pressure on young aspirants.

  • Tags :
  • Entrance Examinations
  • Psychological Impact
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