JEE to tap talent for 2 new pure science schools; UGC plans ‘brand’ colleges too

The next Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) will select students not only for the premier Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) but also for two new Indian Institutes of Science Educational Research (IISER).

Unlike the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore and the Cochin University of Science and Technology—which are focused on research—the new institutes will admit students for five-year integrated Master’s programmes. These institutes, in Pune and Kolkata, are meant to be developed as brand names comparable to IITs, focusing on undergraduate studies in the sciences.

Said a senior Ministry official who is in charge of the project: ‘‘This will attract talent for pure science subjects where we have seen a steady dip in recent years. They will be entirely autonomous.’’

Infrastructure for the two institutes isn’t up yet—‘‘we might start in rented buildings,’’ the official said.

Meanwhile, UGC has proposed to extend “branding” to affiliated colleges as well. ‘‘If we have brands in management, medicine, technology and law, why can’t we have some brand colleges for general sciences, sociology or commerce? We have written to 20 select universities to come up with proposals on these lines,’’ said V N Rajashekharan Pillai, Vice-Chairman of UGC.

Colleges thus chosen will be provided focused budgetary support in infrastructure and faculty. Pillai says he hopes this will be a reality over the next few years. ‘‘One college in Jaipur could become a brand in economics, another in Chennai could become a brand in commerce. The concept is to have focused budgetary support in specific areas,” Pillai said.

UGC calculates that the value-addition possible in a small-town college is much higher than is done in IITs or IIScs where selected students are already of a high standard. There are 16,000 affiliated colleges in India, and Pillai says developing even 10 colleges in each state into the new format will revolutionise higher education in the country.

UGC surveys show that students enrolling for undergraduate science courses after Class XII is steadily decreasing: from 31% in 1950s to barely 20% in the 1990s. And only a quarter of them complete the course.