Single examination for entrance in engineering colleges from 2018-19

Coveted IITs, for which a nationwide competitive exam is held, may also be brought in under this

The stage has been set for single NEET-like examination for entrance to engineering colleges from the academic year 2018-19, with the HRD ministry asking the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to spell out suitable norms for holding such an exercise.

The AICTE, which oversees aspects related to technical education in the country, had discussed at a recent meeting a proposal for having a single entrance test for engineering colleges for undergraduate courses.

The HRD ministry has told the AICTE that the proposal is in line with the government's policy and it could incorporate suitable regulations to enable the holding of such a test, sources said.

It is learnt that the coveted IITs, for which a nationwide competitive examination is held, may also be brought in under the ambit of the new test.

The ministry has taken this decision to bring in greater transparency, maintain high standards and also try to ensure that students are saved the burden of taking too many tests, the sources said.

The ministry is also in favour of seeking constructive suggestions from states and Deemed Universities for the successful holding of such a test, they added.

It has also been decided that the single entrance test would be conducted multiple times every year and it will be designed in a way that the linguistic diversity of the country is taken into consideration, the sources said.

There already exists a common NEET exam for admission to medical colleges but there are diverse exams for entrance to engineering colleges.

Under the present system, the IITs conduct the entrance examinations to these institutes themselves.

The HRD ministry's decision to conduct a common entrance examination for engineering colleges comes at a time when the government has already declared setting up of a National Testing Agency, which would be a specialised body for the conduct of various kinds of tests.

Officials, however, said it would be premature to say the single entrance test for engineering examination would also be entrusted to the National Testing Agency.