The Hindu : Kerala News : Tamil Nadu move to scrap entrance sparks debate

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 13, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Tamil Nadu move to scrap entrance sparks debate

George Jacob

Various groups come out with their own `better option'

IN THE MIDST OF A DEBATE: The only meeting point being the need to revamp the present system. Photo: S. Mahinsha

KOTTAYAM: The decision of the Tamil Nadu Government to do away with the common entrance test for professional courses has launched a debate on the issue in the State with different interest groups coming out with their version of a better option — the only meeting point being the need to revamp the present system.

Self-financing professional colleges fired the first salvo in this direction. The crux of their defence for doing away with the present system is that it sieves in only the rich, as the entrance tests have become a goldmine for the scores of entrance coaching institutes thriving in the State.

Their alternative is to admit students on the basis of a merit-list prepared by each institution. This list can be prepared through an entrance test conducted by each institution.

Close on the heels of the demand made by self-financing college managements, Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan wanted the Government to scrap the system of entrance test, making Plus Two marks the only criterion for admissions to professional courses.

"Those who come on the top of the merit-list in the entrance tests are those who have devoted one or more years for training under the mechanical entrance coaching centres, which are beyond the reach of the poor," he said and added that the controversy over the "Malappuram issue," which Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan himself took up, pointed out that the entrance examinations were not foolproof. The Nair Service Societyis yet to make its stand clear on the issue.

While it may not call for continuation of the present system, it is unlikely that it will demand doing away with the system of entrance test. It has also expressed opinion against each institution having its own entrance test as this will lead to more space for irregularities in the higher education sector. It is not unlikely that it will like to introduce the topic of `aptitude' into the entrance process.

Under the present system, this core issue is not taken care of which leads to a situation where a candidate can get admission to engineering even if he fails to get enough marks for mathematics, it points out. The mechanism to create barriers to do away with mediocrity should be in place while giving admission to professional courses, it believes.

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