IIT entrance exam: IITs planning entrance test in SAARC nations, but not in Pakistan

New Delhi, June 30: The IITs are planning to hold entrance tests abroad including in SAARC nations for the first time but Pakistan is not included in the list.

If reports are to be believed then, neighbouring Pakistan is not in the list at least for the upcoming year.

While preparations are underway for conducting entrance tests in other SAARC countries and also in Singapore and the UAE for undergraduate and postgraduate courses, Pakistan will not figure in the list, sources said.

"Considering various factors, especially difficulties involved with regard to students procuring visas, it has been decided that entrance tests for IITs may not be conducted in Pakistan for the upcoming year," a senior official said.

Earlier, it had been decided that to attract more talent, the coveted IITs would hold tests in countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia in Africa, Singapore and Dubai (UAE) next year onwards.

Pakistan was also among the first list of probable countries that had been prepared for conducting JEE tests abroad.

While the test is to be held in 2017, the outreach programme for the exercise would be conducted earlier.

Officials had held that seats to be offered to foreign nationals would be additional in nature and would not reduce those available to Indian nationals at the IITs.

OneIndia News

(With inputs from agencies)