IIT eases norm, allows board exam marks; 20 percentile to stay

Chennai, Sep 22: In a significant decision which is set to benefit students aspiring to enter IITs, the Council meet of the prestigious institutions on Monday decided to consider the aggregate marks secured in Class 12 Board Examinations for admission.

"In addition to the top-20 percentile condition, it has been decided now to give another provision [to aspirants seeking admission] which is the marks secured in the board exams," Secretary, Union Ministry of Human Resources, Ashok Thakur told reporters.

The 48th meeting of the Council of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) was held here today at the IIT Madras, chaired by Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani.

Presently, only students those who are in the top-20 percentile in their Class XII board exams are admitted to the 16 IITs across the country. Also, they must have cleared the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) advanced.

About 200 students with top scores in JEE, considered tough, could not get into the IITs as they were not in the top-20 percentile league. Now, with the new norm, even if a student does not figure in the 20 percentile category, she or he could aspire to get into the IITs provided they meet the minimum marks prescribed by the Council.

Briefing about the deliberations, Thakur said the Council approved the new norm of marks secured after due deliberations.

According to the norm, an aspiring OBC and general category candidate should have secured 75 per cent and those belonging to SC, ST, and disabled section should have got 70 per cent in class 12 board exam to be considered for admission in addition to clearing the JEE.

"This norm will bring tremendous releif to students. Now marks secured formula will be there alongwith 20-percentile rule."

PTI