The Need of Reviewing the 20 Percentile Cuts-Offs for IIT Admissions

The rule of top 20 percentile in the IIT entrance tests has again created ripple among the aspirants. This is because the required cut-off marks to get into the list of top 20 percentile, of various boards have again shot up this year. Aspirants feel strongly that an urgent review is required on this newly developed format for IIT admissions, introduced 2 years ago.

According to the higher 20 percentile cuts-offs that were shown on the website of JEE (advanced) on Tuesday; students from different have performed far better this year as compared to previous years. Sanjeev Sanghi, the former president of the IIT Delhi Faculty Forum stated that this format has been introduced since 2 years and it is high time that a review should be put up with. As per the previous suggestions there should be an option for the students - 80% or 20 percentile, whichever is lower. This system of percentage does not work well for those boards that give high marks.

It reflects that candidates have become more serious with the board exams. But simultaneously the high 20 percentile cut offs in some of the boards like Tamil Nadu board, Andhra Board and the Karnataka board could lead to resentment even among meritorious students. This system must undergo a review, stated the former professor of IIT. According to an IIT Kanpur professor, Mr. Dheeraj Sanghi, the 20 percentile system is one of the most effective criteria to make students focus on the board exams.

The 20 percentile cut-offs for various boards vary a lot this year, it ranges from 93.03 percent in Andhra Pradesh board to 51 percent in Tripura. In 2013 this format had been introduced by the governments, pushing candidates to score better in the board examinations. According to this format, only the top-20 percentile candidates from every board can get admission in the IITs. Scoring 60% in the board exam was the previous eligibility criteria for aspirants seeking admission in IITs.

For CBSE board the 20 percentile cut off was 81.6% previous year, but this year it has been increased to 83.2%. For candidates of Andhra Board it has increased from 91.8% to 93.03%, for ISC from 83.2% to 85%, or Karnataka board from 86% to 93% and Tamil Nadu board from 90.9% to 91.7%. There are more than a single system for board exam marking for boards like Goa, Gujarat, Andhra and Punjab and the 20 percentiles vary accordingly.