Bhubaneswar, March 3: The decision of the Orissa Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE) authorities to raise the bar for the minimum eligibility norm this year onwards has evoked mixed reaction among JEE aspirants.
Earlier, any student who had cleared Plus Two science examination, with 30 per cent marks in physics, chemistry and mathematics (PCM) and an aggregate of 35 per cent, was eligible to appear for the entrance exam. However, OJEE authorities have now increased the qualification to a minimum of 50 per cent marks in PCM.
A majority of JEE aspirants have welcomed the decision. “This step would enhance the quality of colleges imparting engineering and medical science courses. I feel if a student cannot score 50 per cent marks in Plus Two then he/she is not good enough to become an engineer or a doctor. In fact, the minimum eligibility should be pushed further to 60 per cent,” said Tapaja Ray, a Plus Two student of DAV Public School, Pokhariput.
Class XII student of Delhi Public School (Kalinga), Nischay Mishra, who has applied for the OJEE to be conducted on May 1 and May 8 echoed Tapaja’s views. He said: “If one cannot score 50 per cent in Plus Two, it would be difficult for the student to cope up with the pressure of engineering courses.” Akash Baghar, a JEE aspirant, said: “Minimum eligibility at 50 per cent would serve as a quality check. Don’t you think the state is producing too many engineers? Every random person wants to study engineering. The new rule would at least maintain some sanctity of this profession.”
Another student at a city-based coaching institute, Jiban Dash said, this decision would make students more serious and motivate them to prepare better for JEE. “But on the flip side, I feel this step would be harsh on those students who completed their Plus Two last year and have spent one full year on preparations,” said Jiban.
A section of the student and teaching community have, however, expressed their disapproval with regards to the increase in minimum eligibility criteria. “As it is thousands of seats are lying vacant in several engineering colleges, the new rule would only make admissions more problematic and add to the vacancies. “The course in Plus Two is quite difficult and the pressure to score 50 per cent marks in PCM is going to be another headache,” said Deepika Behera, a class XI student of Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 2.
Satyanarayan Biswal who runs a private coaching institute in the city also seemed concerned about the change in OJEE criteria.
According to him, marks are not proper measures of a student’s potentialities. “No doubt, it would ensure quality but at the same time it would deprive several students from getting a seat in colleges of their choice,” said Biswal.
