National entrance exams like NEET, JEE, and CUET may undergo changes under new admission models, according to Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, Chairman of the National Education Policy (NEP) Review Committee. Kumar stated that the perception of these exams centralizing the entire higher education admission process is inaccurate. He explained that while national tests standardize the examination stage, many institutions still manage their own eligibility criteria, merit lists, counseling, and final admissions.
Admission Process Complexity
India's higher education system is vast, with 4.5 crore students enrolled. Of these, 3.46 crore are undergraduates. The system includes 1289 universities and over 48,000 colleges. This scale necessitates diverse admission pathways.
A report from AISHE 2023-24 indicates the significant size of India's higher education institutions. A single admission route is impractical for such a large and varied system. Many institutions continue to use their own admission procedures.
National entrance exams establish common testing standards. However, they do not dictate all admission stages. State universities and private institutions retain control over their admission processes and seat allocation.
Varying Exam Functions
NEET, JEE, and CUET operate differently. NEET is a mandatory entrance exam for undergraduate medical admissions. Central, state, private, and deemed institutions use NEET scores. The Medical Counselling Committee manages some national seats. State authorities handle state quota seats with their own rules.
JEE has a dual structure. The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) use JEE Advanced. The National Institutes of Technology (NITs), IITs, and other government-funded technical institutes use JEE Main. The Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) allocates many seats. Some states and institutions use JEE Main scores independently.
CUET's role varies by university. Participating universities make final admission decisions. Many state, deemed, and private universities consider CUET scores alongside other admission routes. Entrance tests in states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu demonstrate the continued use of decentralized admission processes.
