Common test for medical, engineering courses likely

New Delhi: A common entrance examination for engineering and medical streams is on the cards as the government moves towards making education more student friendly.

Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal on Friday said that the All India Pre-Medical Test and All India Engineering Entrance Exam will be combined as both have common subjects.

"Physics and chemistry are the common subjects for the entrance exam. Depending on their choice, students can take maths or biology," Sibal said.

The minister was speaking to reporters after a meeting of the National Foundation for Teachers' Welfare attended by state education ministers in the national capital.

"It will reduce the pressure on students who have to appear for 10 or 15 entrance exams," he said.

Sibal's announcement comes as the government is making a slew of efforts to reduce the burden on students.

After introducing grading in the Class 10 board exams and making the examinations optional from 2011, the HRD ministry is now focusing on easing the pressure on Class 12 board examinees.

Among the ministry's future plans is holding a general awareness and aptitude test after Class 12. The scores of this test will be combined with the board examination marks and a weightage will be calculated.

A common core curriculum for science and maths formulated by the Central Board of Secondary Education will be a stepping stone for this.

"This will help in controlling the growing trend of coaching institutes. Even institutes like IITs agree that the best talent is not coming due to increasing coaching institutions," Sibal said.

A National Institution for Assessment and Evaluation, digitization of certificates in DMAT form to avoid forgery and inclusion of physical education and value education in the school curriculum are the other innovative measures the government is taking to improve school education.

Sibal also proposed a National Vocational Education Framework for evaluation of vocational training institutes.

"We have got positive response from the states on almost all plans," Sibal added.