Bihar CM opposes cut off marks for IIT entrance selection

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has asked HRD minister Kapil Sibal to reconsider his move on cut off percentage marks for appearing in the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) for admissions to the prestigious IITs.

Kumar, in a letter faxed to the minister has said the new proposal would work against students from weaker socio-economic sections of society.

In his letter Kumar has said that such a proposal would favour students with elite background and discriminate against students from poor socio-economic status. He says that any examination system should be inclusive and any changes in the existing system of examination would have far reaching consequences, which is unwarranted.

Yesterday Sibal had mooted a new proposal to pre-qualify only students securing at least 80 per cent marks in the class XII Board examinations, instead of the 60 per cent currently required to appear for the IIT-JEE.

Kumar said the proposal would negatively impact students from backward regions of the country.

He added that the current system allows students from different socio-economic backgrounds to compete in the entrance examination, which explains the success of students from backward regions in the JEE.