Q. What is a reliable method to determine whether a coaching institute for JEE is good or not ?
A. There are two time-tested methods to determine the same :
Ask phone numbers of a few students studying currently in the Institute. Talk to them and ascertain the quality of teaching, testing and broad guidance offered.
Find out the track record of the Institute i.e. find out how many students in the
past few years have cleared the JEE & allied Engineering Entrance examinations.
Ask the phone numbers of a few students and interact with them and their parents.
Only if you are satisfied on both the counts, you may enroll in the Institute.
Q. From 2021, what is the new Entrance Exams scenario for Engineering, Pure
Sciences and Medical fields ?
A.From 2021, admission to all 3300 Engineering colleges is expected to be on the basis of a single common National Entrance exam called NEETI. The NEETI is expected to be Online, conducted multiple times in a year with best score considered. However, the 23 IITs, IIST and IISERs shall continue to take admission on the basis of JEE ADVANCED. In the domain of Medical Entrance exams, NEET is the single National Entrance exam for all 450+ Medical colleges. NTA shall conduct NEETI and NEET exam from 2021 onwards.
Q. Is there any weightage of XII Boards marks for admission to any Engineering or
Medical college ?
A. There is zero weightage for XII Boards marks from 2021 onwards. However, XII
Boards marks serve as an eligibility criterion for admission to all colleges.
For example, the IITs, NITs, IIITs expect a student to score 75% Aggregate marks in
XII Boards to be eligible to join the colleges. Similarly, BITS PILANI expects a student
to score 75% marks in PCM subjects to be eligible to join BITS.
Q. Are the JEE ADVANCE / JEE MAIN (NEETI) / NEET tough exams ?
A. The answer to this question depends on the student’s talent, study method and hard
work potential. For a lazy student, every exam is tough. For a student whose
intellect is below a certain threshold, these exams are tough too. Again, for a
student whose method of studies is not appropriate, these exams will be found to be
tough.
However, if the student has above-average level of mathematical & logical intelligence, has reasonable hard-working potential (can study 6 hours daily) and is
given the right method for efficient studies, then these exams are not at all tough.
On the contrary, such a student will enjoy the studies of these exams and develop
high levels of conceptual and problems solving skills which will help the student
throughout his professional career.
Q. Which college & Board is preferable while pursuing JEE / NEET studies ?
A. There are various pros and cons of different Boards vis-à-vis JEE / NEET studies. However, it must be understood that these exams have syllabi which resemble most closely the CBSE syllabus. However, that does not necessarily translate into an advantage for CBSE students over other students as these exams have a far deeper treatment of the syllabus than merely what CBSE (or any Board) does.
IIT-P advises a student to choose any Board of his / her choice. The main point which a parent / student must keep in mind while choosing a junior college however is whether the attendance requirement in the college is compulsory or lenient. Choosing a lenient attendance junior college is essential to complement JEE / NEET studies as the student needs to study at home for atleast 6 hours per day besides time spent in coaching and college.
Q. Are there any reservation of seats for admissions to elite colleges in India ?
A. Yes. IITs, AIIMS, NITs, IIITs, IISERs etc. are governed by the Central Government and have almost 50% of their seats for various reserved categories like OBC-NCL, SC, ST, Physically disabled etc. But admission to students of all categories is on the basis of the same Entrance Test with relaxation of cut-off scores for different categories.
Q. How many seats for Engineering & MBBS courses exist in Indian colleges ?
A. India has over 3300 Engineering colleges and about 400 Medical colleges. There are about 18 lac seats in Engineering colleges of which half of them go vacant every year and only about 60,000 seats are in A-grade colleges. About 20 lac Engg. aspirants vie for these seats every year.
As far as MBBS is concerned, there are about 54000 seats of which about 40% are in Govt. Medical Colleges and the rest in Private colleges. There are usually no vacancies in MBBS seats. About 15 lac Medical aspirants vie for these seats every year.
Q. What are the admission rules for OCI, PIO, NRI, Foreign National status student ?
A. The admission rules for these categories are in flux and often different for different colleges with a lot of ad hocism and confusion in the past 5 years. However, the Union HRD Ministry has assured a uniform set of rules for all Engineering, Pure Sciences and Medical colleges in India for these categories from 2021 onwards. We shall have to wait for clarity till then. Currently, admission is granted on the basis of XII Boards or SAT or State level CETs or JEE for various colleges.
Q. What is the net cost of Engineering and Medical education in India ?
A. The cost of 4-years Engineering education varies from college to college and is in the
range of 4 lacs to 20 lacs INR which includes Tuition fees, Hostel & Mess fees.
The Private colleges are relatively more expensive than Govt. colleges.
The cost of MBBS Medical education in India varies from 8 lacs to 30 lacs for 5.5 years.
