The IIT-JEE and AIEEE aspirants in the state, who usually spend more time preparing to crack the tests than concentrate on their intermediate studies are now reversing their priority as the new Iseet will give 40 per cent weightage to the Inter marks. With the central government making the Indian Science Engineering Eligibility Test (Iseet) a must to secure seats in the prestigious IITs and NITs from 2013 onwards, students have begun concentrating on their 10+2 syllabus. Earlier the trend was to sacrifice the studies in schools for coaching classes.

A junior college teacher S Shankar told Express that till now the students were preparing only for the entrance test as their Inter scores had no bearing on their ranks in IIT-JEE and AIEEE.

Besides, there is also the possibility that the state too does away with Eamcet next year itself, he said, adding that the students are concerned about getting caught off guard by such a decision.

Students also admitted to changing their approach to competitive exams from now itself.

K Sangeetha, an intermediate student, said that following the Iseet announcement, all her first year MPC students were now concentrating on the classes and work in the college.