Summary
The Ministry of Education is reportedly considering significant reforms to the admission process for professional courses, including medical and engineering programmes.
The proposed changes are aimed at reducing the high-stakes nature of a single examination and creating a more balanced and holistic admission system.
The Ministry of Education is reportedly considering significant reforms to the admission process for professional courses, including medical and engineering programmes, with board examination marks likely to receive 50 per cent weightage alongside entrance examination scores. The proposed changes are aimed at reducing the high-stakes nature of a single examination and creating a more balanced and holistic admission system for students aspiring to pursue higher education.
According to sources, the proposal is part of a broader set of reforms being examined in the wake of repeated concerns surrounding the country's examination system. Recent controversies, including allegations of paper leaks, evaluation-related discrepancies and other irregularities in major competitive examinations, have intensified discussions on the credibility, transparency and reliability of the existing assessment framework. Against this backdrop, policymakers are exploring measures that would reduce excessive dependence on a single entrance examination while recognising students' consistent academic performance in school.
As per the proposals currently under consideration, admissions to professional courses that are presently determined solely on the basis of entrance examinations such as the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) could, in the future, take into account both entrance test performance and Class 12 board examination results. Under the proposed model, board examination marks may contribute 50 per cent of the overall merit used for admissions, while the remaining weightage would continue to be based on entrance examination scores.
At present, admissions to undergraduate medical and engineering programmes are primarily determined by candidates' performance in national-level entrance examinations. Students are required to secure the prescribed qualifying marks in their board examinations only to meet the eligibility criteria for appearing in these entrance tests. The proposed reform, if implemented, would represent a major shift by assigning direct significance to board examination performance in the preparation of admission merit lists.
The recommendations are being examined by a nine-member committee constituted by the Ministry of Education last year to study various challenges affecting the country's competitive examination system. The panel was tasked with reviewing students' growing dependence on coaching institutes, the increasing prevalence of so-called "dummy schools" that prioritise entrance examination preparation over regular schooling, and broader concerns related to fairness and equity in high-stakes examinations.
Apart from proposing equal weightage for board examination marks, the committee is also understood to have recommended closer alignment between entrance examinations and school curricula. Aligning entrance tests more closely with school education could also help strengthen the relevance of classroom teaching and reduce the academic burden associated with preparing for multiple examination patterns.
The panel is also reportedly exploring additional reforms intended to make the admission process more flexible and student-friendly. These include providing candidates with multiple opportunities to appear for entrance examinations and gradually transitioning towards adaptive, on-demand computer-based tests. Such a system could offer greater flexibility to students while reducing the pressure associated with a single high-stakes examination conducted on one day.
According to sources, the committee is expected to submit its final report to the government in the coming weeks. The recommendations will then be examined before any policy decisions are taken. While no official announcement has yet been made regarding the implementation of the proposed reforms, the suggestions indicate that the government is actively considering measures to improve the fairness, transparency and effectiveness of the country's higher education admission system.
Last updated on 02 Jul 2026
