Engineering Entrance Exams: A Brief Outline
Engineering Entrance Exams have always been the hot choice for millions of higher secondary students, who dream to pursue attractive careers in Engineering. Most of the National as well as State Level Engineering Entrance Tests like Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) for IITs, NITs, IIITs, GFTIs and Tests for Other State & IIT-JEE affiliated Engineering Colleges in India are held in the months of April / May / June for the academic year starting from July / August of the following year.
But from 2019 onwards, JEE (Main) will be conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). The test will be conducted in two attempts as JEE (Main) I & JEE (Main) II in CBT mode.
The Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India has entrusted the responsibility of conducting Joint Entrance Examination (JEE-Main) to the NTA. This Examination was being conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) till 2018.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) is only an examination conducting body. After declaration of result, the data will be handed over to Centralised Seat Allocation Board (CSAB)/JoSAA or the concerned State Government/Institute for Seat Allocation Process and admission procedure.
Usually, the syllabus of the entrance tests is based on the NCERT courses outline of class XI and XII. The motto of almost all the entrance tests is to assess the fundamental concepts of Physics, Chemistry & Mathematics, and their varied applications; but the questions being asked now a day are a bit tricky. However in some specific entrance tests, questions are also asked on Mental Ability Test (MAT), English Proficiency, Logical Reasoning/ General Aptitude and Drawing etc.
In 2013, by the direction of The HRD Ministry, Govt. of India the JEE has been divided into two phases: JEE (Main) – A common entrance test for admission to undergraduate degree programs in India's Government as well as Private Engineering / Science Institutions/ Colleges/ Universities and the screening test for the IITs. JEE Main is applicable for admission to NITs, IIITs and CFTIs participating though Central Seat Allocation Board subject to the condition. JEE (Advanced) is conducted for the admission into the very coveted IITs after JEE (Main).