Chandigarh, August 20
After CAT, its now the All-India Engineering Entrance Exam (AIEEE) scheduled to be held nationwide on April 29, 2012, which will go online.

Though the online mode was an option this year as well, but a majority of students opted for the conventional pen and paper mode. While the Central Board of Secondary Education had expected 1 lakh students, out of the 11.5 lakh applicants, to opt for the online mode, only 5,000 did so.

Despite the lukewarm response, the board has decided to shun the conventional pen and paper format and go ahead with the online mode in wake of this year’s question paper leak which forced several students to take the exam again. In a circular issued on August 18, the board said, “This year, the CBSE is planning to conduct online exams on a mass scale. Students are advised to acquaint themselves with the new method. An competent agency will be employed to ensure the smooth conduct of the test.”

“Though the number of students who appeared for the online examination was less, but it proved a successful counter to problems like question paper leaks. This year’s exam was like a nightmare where we had to cancel and then re-conduct the examination the same day.

“A majority of students who appear for AIEEE have access to computers in their school or home. They have ample time to get acquainted with the method. We shall be uploading guidelines for the online examination soon,” said a CBSE official in New Delhi.

AIEEE is the admission gateway to various NITS, deemed universities, state owned and private engineering/architecture colleges. The AIEEE conducted in 2011 was delayed by three hours due to a paper leak in Lucknow on May 1. A fresh exam was conducted on May 11 for all those students who were unable to appear earlier.