60 pc cut-off valid from next year: IIT board

The board also decided that a candidate can take the JEE only in the year of passing Class XII and the following year. Also, once a student gets admitted to an IIT, IT-BHU, or ISM Dhanbad, he will not be allowed sit for the JEE again.

Beginning 2006, though IITs will call candidates who have qualified the JEE for counselling, the admission will not be valid unless their Class XII score is confirmed. “We will call at least 25 to 30 per cent extra students assuming that some will drop out after the Plus II results,” said Prof M S Ananth, director, IIT Madras, adding that the students who passed out before 2006 and scored below 60 per cent will be allowed to take the JEE one last time in 2006.

Dismissing protests over the cut-off, the Director of IIT Kharagpur, S K Dube, said the new guidelines would harm only the coaching centres. “Many students undermine their school education to undergo intense training in coaching centres. We have found out through a survey that this spoils their spontaneity and creativity”, he said.

Meanwhile, the HRD ministry today indicated increased budgetary support for the IITs in the next budget. “We have chosen two institutes in Hyderabad, two in West Bengal — Jadavpur University and Bengal Engineering College, two Central universities — IT-BHU and Aligarh Muslim University and Cochin University for upgradation to IIT,” Ravi Mathur, Jt Secretary, HRD ministry, told reporters.

Highlights

• 60 per cent cut-off for general candidates and 55 per cent for SC/STs.

• Candidates with two or more failed attempts can take the exam in 2006 but not after that.

• A students who takes admission in any IIT can’t sit for JEE again.