Finally there is a sign of a positive step in the education sector that will help students be more focused on school education rather than stressing on coaching classes. According to recent reports, the Joint Admission Board of IITs have decided that at least 40% weightage will be given to Class 12 marks for admission to the 15 IITs as well as other engineering institutes in the country. The formal announcement is yet to be made, but the move has definitely pleased engineering aspirants, parents and school teachers.

Varun Mehta, an IIT aspirant, says, “It is really difficult to manage school studies and coaching classes simultaneously. In school, we are prepared for theory and long answers; whereas for engineering entrance exams, we have to focus on solving objective-type questions. It is not easy to focus on both exam formats and give our 100 per cent.”
Giving weightage to school studies will also curb the mushrooming business of coaching classes which usually charge a bomb. Sangeeta Mishra, a Class 12 student at JBM School, Noida, says, “Coaching centers advise students to only focus on entrance exams and in the process they tend to sideline school education. The result is that most of the students get poor results in Boards because it is not possible to excel in both exam formats. I think it is a great move to reduce stress for students who struggle between the two.”
Nupur Malhotra, a teacher and mother, feels this decision will help students to focus on one thing at a time. She says, “Finally the authorities are looking into the matter and encouraging students to focus on school. The pattern for entrance exams is quite different from Board exams, so in order to get into a good college, many ignore the importance of theory. Coaching centres also train students in a way that they just concentrate on getting quick solutions using short-cut methods, and thereby, in the process the concept and knowledge part is entirely ignored in such classes.”