The performance of candidates from Kerala at the Joint Entrance Examination (Main) and (Advanced), 2020 has been dismal when compared to other States in national-level rankings.
Several reasons have been attributed to the poor ranks of candidates seeking admission to National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)
"A major reason is the lack of orientation and focus among middle class families on national-level engineering entrance tests. Our students have to compete with counterparts from other States who prepare for the JEE from Class VIII or IX," says K.A. Abdul Nazeer, Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, and former Chairman - UG Admissions, National Institute of Technology, Calicut, (NIT-C).
He says upper middle class families who are aware of the JEE show a reluctance to send their children to study outside the State. "It is neither the poor quality of teaching methodology nor the ineffective teaching methods of mathematics which is generally believed to be a factor that deprives Kerala students from competing at the national exams," he adds.
Preference
Arun Viswanthan, branch head of a coaching centre, says parental focus in Kerala is more on medical studies than engineering colleges. “That is why candidates from Kerala perform better in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to MBBS, BDS courses and other undergraduate medical courses in India," he says.
The difficulty level of the JEE (Main) and (Advanced) could be tide over by specialised and targeted coaching methods. "Besides, the mindset of parents who want their children only to score A plus in all subjects in Plus Two exams should also change," Mr. Viswanthan says.
Another reason, he says, is that parents and students feel that engineering has no scope in a State like Kerala without industrial development. "This is unlike in other southern States and north Indian cities," he adds.
Had it not been for the 50 % home quota, candidates from Kerala would have to struggle for admission at the NIT-C as well. Incidentally, the opening rank and closing ranking in the home quota after the seventh round in the most sought-after computer science branch at the NIT-C in the general category last year were 2,201 and 11, 022 respectively.
"To improve the examination skills of students, the KEAM entrance tests should be done away with and instead the allotment process at engineering colleges in the State should for done exclusively for Kerala students through the JEE (Main) ranks," Prof. Nazeer says, adding that then candidates would not have to appear for two engineering tests.
