Question : INTRODUCTION OF ENTRANCE EXAMINATION SYSTEM

(a) whether the Government has decided to introduce entrance examination system for students seeking admission in the Universities and colleges in the country including University of Delhi colleges from the next academic year;

(b) if so, the details thereof alongwith the names of the Universities;

(c) whether the said system is likely to help in raising the level of education and inculcating competitive spirit in the students;

(d) if so, the Government`s reaction thereto;

(e) whether the Government has decided to implement uniform and similar curriculum in the pre-college education system; and

(f) if so, the details thereof and the time by which it is likely to be implemented?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (DR. D. PURANDESWARI)

(a) to (d): No, Sir. While it is ideal to have a unified admission test for admission to higher education for all students, it is a great challenge, considering the huge diversity of education system in the country. The challenge becomes formidable in view of the fact that some higher education systems in the country are under control of Central Government while others are either controlled by state governments or owned by private entities. Some Central Educational Institutions (CEIs) have decided, by consensus, to hold a Common Entrance Examination for admission to these CEIs. Seven Central Universities including Central University of Kashmir, Central University of Rajasthan, Central University of Bihar, Central University of Jharkhand, Central University of Karnataka, Central University of Kerala and Central University of Tamil Nadu are participating in Central Universities Common Entrance Test (CUCET) since 2010. Common Entrance Test (CET) has already been introduced from the current academic year 2011-12 for admission of students in B.Ed, M.Ed. and Ph.D. Programmes in three Sanskrit Deemed to be Universities viz. Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi, Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati and Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, New Delhi.

(e) & (f): The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has brought out the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) – 2005 approved by the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE), Government of India. The NCF sets the guidelines and directions for syllabi and textbooks for all levels of school education. Based on NCF – 2005, NCERT has formulated new syllabi and textbooks for different stages of school education in all the subjects. 18 State Boards have adopted/ adapted to NCERT Syllabus, in addition to all the Central Boards.

CABE has also agreed to move towards a core syllabi in subjects having common relevance for the higher secondary stage across the country. NCERT has developed a core syllabi in collaboration with Council of Boards of School Education (COBSE) and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.