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.
