HYDERABAD:Academicians believe that a single nationwide exam for all the courses is the only

solution to cut down on expenses and the stress students are subjected to.

Many feel that such a move will also help the government to check the practice of nepotism in

entrance exams, and the racket in selling and blocking seats.

But the state government is still to respond to the Union HRD minister, Mr Kapil Sibal's,

proposal of a national common entrance from 2013. Though 25 state boards across the country have

agreed to a uniform curriculum for 10+2 students, the Board of Intermediate Education (BIE) is

not part of it. Mr Sibal has urged all states to implement a "national common curriculum" at

10+2 level, which will enable a national common entrance test for admissions into science,

commerce and arts courses from the 2013-14 academic year. "We cannot take a hasty decision

without involving teachers, students and parents. Over 17 lakh students are part of Intermediate

education in the state and are doing well in national-level competitive exams by bagging a major

chunk of seats every year. It's not possible to change the curriculum overnight to match the

curriculum of other states," said Mr D. Manikya Vara Prasada Rao, minister for secondary

education. But academicians said that the government must try to hold a national common entrance

exam for IIT-JEE and AIEEE. "Both these exams are conducted at nationallevel for B.Tech

admissions.
The qualifications and pattern of the exam is the same for both. Then why can't we have a common

test? Instead of insisting that states must agree on a common exam, why can't the Centre devise

a common national entrance for IIT-JEE and AIEEE.
This will become a model for the states to follow," said Mr Umesh Kumar, a retired professor.