Dummy candidates in 2007; question paper leak in 2008.

Where is the joint entrance examination (JEM) leading to?

The question has never been asked louder, with many academics and administrators asserting it’s time the centralised system was abolished or at least decentralised.

“The JEM system should at least be partially decentralised so the colleges have some say in the selection of students,” said Sattam Roy Choudhury, the managing director of Techno India, which runs a group of engineering colleges across the state.

The enrolment for JEM 2008 is around 76,000. “Given the volume of work, it is difficult for any examination board to ensure a foolproof, centralised system,” he added.

The West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination Board now looks after distribution of forms, holds the test in more than 190 centres, prepares the merit list and allots seats to successful candidates.

“In this situation, it is difficult to keep a tab on dummy candidates or prevent a question paper leak that lead to an indefinite postponement of JEM 2008. A decentralised system, with less than half the workload, will run more efficiently,” said the head of a private engineering college who did not wish to be named.

Roy Choudhury, and several others, argued for a two-tiered system — an initial screening test to be held by a central authority and the final selection by the individual colleges.

Citing a flaw in the system, a teacher of an engineering college said a candidate who had scored only one per cent in last year’s test had found a place on the merit list. The board had allotted him a seat in a private college and the institution was forced to admit him. “The colleges should have a say in the selection of students to maintain a certain standard.”

Swapan Bhattacharya, the director of National Institute of Technology, added a rider: “Decentralisation is welcome but there must be a clear policy to ensure that all colleges maintain a uniform standard.”

The state government has of late been considering abolishing the joint entrance test for medical courses and, instead, admit students on the basis of their Class XII marks.

The joint entrance examination board will meet on Tuesday to decided on the new date of the 2008 test. “Several issues have to be taken into consideration...,”said board chairman Sidhartha Dutta