New Delhi: HRD Minister Kapil Sibal has said it his "dream" to implement a single common entrance examination for admission in engineering and science disciplines at the national level by 2013.
"My real dream is by 2013, I should have the first all India test," he told a news agency during an interaction.
A committee chaired by T Ramasami, Secretary in the Department of Science and Technology, was constituted to re-look into the test methodology of selecting students and have a common system for admission.
The aim of the National Aptitude Test is to reduce psychological and financial stress on students.
Sibal said Ramasami, who has completed his work, had carried out a study to seek response for a single test and "response is that 80 percent of the people in India want it," he said.
"No political party has said no to that (to the test)", he replied to a question.
Asked about opposition from Tamil Nadu to this concept, he said "that is a peculiarly Tamil Nadu legislative decision, which is now being challenged in Madras High Court.
That’s entirely different from having a separate test."
He said if there is an all India list and there is an equalisation procedure which takes into account each state board, then every child can get admission to the institution of his choice and there can be no capitation fee.
Member of the Prime Minister’s Scientific Advisory Council CNR Rao had earlier also recommended a common entrance test for higher education including medical and
technical courses.
Sharing concern over proliferation of unrecognised institutes, he expressed hope that key bills like the National Accreditation Regulatory Authority Bill and the
Education Malpractice Bill will put an end to such institutes.
"Every educational institute set up by the state or centre or by private sector will have to seek mandatory accreditation once accreditation bill is passed," he said.
He said the Parliamentary Standing Committee on HRD is currently studying the proposed legislation and is expected to submit its report next month.
"The mechanics of it (accreditation) will be that the accrediting authority will consist of government and non-government agency. The methodology would be very scientific. So there will be no element of discretion," he said.
Sibal said, the malpractice bill, which will be tabled in the Monsoon Session, will make it mandatory for institutes for voluntary disclosure of information.
"An institute will set up its own website in which it sets out voluntarily its faculty, its infrastructure, the teachers, the degrees of those teachers, the fees and any
other charges," he said, adding people would be liable for prosecution if the disclosure are found to be false.
PTI
