In a meeting of the Joint Admission Board (JAB) responsible for conducting the IIT entrance examinations, the decision to conduct the entrance online was passed on August 20 2017. Apart from this, JAB has also announced that multiple choice questions (MCQ) will be replaced with brief answer type questions, requiring the examinees to type in the correct answers. The entrance exam for JEE (Advanced) till last year had only MCQ’s in which the correct answer was marked into the optical mark reading (OMR) sheets later evaluated by machines.
Joint Admission Board: Official Statement
An official JAB source clarified: “The introduction of a computer-based test will give candidates access to keyboards. So, they will be able to provide correct answers calculations .” said a JAB source. “When the question pattern was multiple-choice, examinees often took refuge in the process of elimination for guessing the correct answer. After these changes have been implemented, such opportunities will be limited,” he added.
The official also said: “Question setters will now be at liberty to introduce a variety of questions challenge examinees to think harder as there isn’t any set order for framing the particular questions. Students will do have to push themselves further, and not just continue to rely on techniques of memorisation to crack the questions.” Stating the release, official explained: “Concept-based questions will increase. The question pattern is set to change.”
What’s more for Aspirants
Trends and news all over social media are ripe in speculation with the changes. Many students are referring it to as the ‘Jee Online Fiasco,’ respective to the specific keywords as well. JAB proceeded with the decision to shift to a computerised testing system for the purpose of eliminate printing errors and translation goof-ups. These had earlier created problems for candidates and necessitated the need for grace marks.
