New Delhi, April 8
Examination for entrance to the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) was held today amid a cloud of uncertainty over the OBC quota issue, with about 4,000 seats up for grabs to the seven institutes of excellence. The IIT-Joint Entrance Exam, which has a new format this year, was held at various centres all over the country with nearly 2.4 lakh aspirants appearing for it.
However, with the Supreme Court having stayed the implementation of 27 per cent reservation for OBC students on March 29, uncertainty looms large over several students who compete in the general category for the IIT-JEE as the IITs have not gone ahead with their seat expansion plans as envisaged earlier.
The institute authorities aver that unless the go-ahead comes from the government, it would make no sense moving in this direction.
Meanwhile, the changed format of the IIT-JEE exams this year evoked a mixed response with some baulking at the two paper format as against the earlier three papers - physics, chemistry and mathematics — while others welcomed the move as “progressive”.
However, all those appearing for the exam expressed sorrow at the “half-hearted” approach of changes, saying that the negative marking system should have been dropped as well.
— UNI
