No change in IIT-JEE entrance exam pattern next year: Board

The IIT Joint Admission Board (JAB) at a crucial meeting here today agreed to continue with the same pattern for the IIT-JEE examination for one more year.
The board made a detailed review of the new pattern of the two-tier Joint Entrance Examination, which was implemented this year, and was of the view that the pattern should be continued next year as well for a closer assessment of the system, sources said.
JAB comprises heads of the various campuses of the premier technological institute.
The meeting came in the wake of reports that there could be some changes in eligibility criteria for admission to IITs.

According to sources, some of the IIT directors had met HRD Minister M Pallam Raju here last week to discuss a proposal to ease percentile cut-offs for entry into an IIT.
IIT aspirants in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and those belonging to national boards like CBSE, had to contend with high cut-offs this year under the new format for admissions. The cut-offs for AP and TN were above 90 per cent this year.

Sources said that since the issue was being legally challenged, JAB today decided to maintain the status quo.
JAB is expected to meet again on Sept. 15 at the Kharagpur IIT where the matter would be discussed once again. Meanwhile, the IIT council is slated to meet on Sept. 3.

The meeting today is also understood to have decided on next year's examinations. The IIT-JEE (Mains) could be held on April 6 and IIT-JEE (Advanced) on May 25, sources said.