Centre gives deemed universities entrance test freedom

India’s Ministry of Human Resource Development last week said all ‘deemed’ universities across the country will be given the option of admitting students to graduate courses based on the government’s proposed common entrance test or their own entrance examinations, writes M Ramya for The Times of India.

‘Deemed’ (semi-autonomous) universities have been asked to give anywhere between 40% and 100% weighting to board marks for admission to graduate courses. The decision was announced after a meeting last Monday convened by HRD Minister Kapil Sibal and attended by around 100 universities. Sources in the ministry said the decision will allow deemed universities to select candidates based only on board marks. Deemed universities have also been given the option of allocating up to 60% from their own entrance examinations or from the JEE-Mains, the proposed common admission test for deemed universities. The remaining weighting of 40% or more will be based on board marks.

Responding to the ministry's announcement, Sastra University's Dean of Planning and Development S Vaidyasubramaniam said the government had come up with a fair decision that provided optimal balance between board marks and central examination test scores.
Full report on The Times of India site