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For an average Indian college student who has just finished his 12th standard board exam, another Herculean challenge beckons: competitive exam entrance tests. The current higher education landscape is littered with a multitude of entrance exams like the JEE (Mains and Advanced) for Engineering, NEET for Medical sciences, CUET for Central University Courses, State-specific CETs for various professional courses, and Institution-specific exams like the BITSAT, VITEEE, among others. With such multiple high-stakes exams governing access to some of the most prestigious institutions in the country, the higher education entrance system has turned into a labyrinth that students must navigate to secure a promising future.

While this may not seem worrying at first, there are serious issues in the higher education system's underbelly. First, there is an enormous academic burden on the student as a test-taker. He has to simultaneously prepare for the boards and the entrance tests, often with different syllabi and test patterns. Needless to say, this would also entail significant expenditure on preparation resources, multiple application fees and other concomitant costs like travel, to take the exams in different cities. This inadvertently creates barriers for talented students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The financial implications aside, the situation is such that the system indirectly shapes the career choice of millions of students based on exam performance rather than individual preference or aptitude. As a direct consequence, we will now have a generation of qualified professionals who lack the vigour and enthusiasm to drive innovation in their chosen fields, after being shepherded into “prestigious” courses based on examination metrics in their formative years.

Second, there is a need to address the elephant in the room: Coaching centres. If numbers were any indication, India's entrance exam coaching industry has ballooned into a staggering ₹58,000 crore behemoth(Indian Express, June 20, 2024). Not only has it created a parallel education system, operating alongside formal schools, but it has also created a fear psychosis among the student community that enrolling in these coaching centres is mandatory to clear competitive exams. With the sole aim of maximizing results, most centres focus on providing “tips and tricks” to solve problems and encourage rote learning to tackle “standard questions”, while relegating critical thinking and conceptual clarity to the background. Instances abound where such coaching centres pay monetary inducements to exam toppers for fake testimonials.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, the undue focus on entrance exam preparation has impacted the quality of school and collegiate education itself. Regular school curricula comprising laboratory and practical work are ignored to allocate more time for competitive exams. This has a deleterious effect on problem-solving, stifles intellectual curiosity and hinders the holistic development of students.

Such a malaise in higher education needs comprehensive reform. We could begin with standardized examination schedules and an entrance examination system that evaluates core knowledge, aptitude, and stream-specific skills. Specific caps on tuition fees of Coaching Centres may also be instituted. Importantly, there needs to be a tally between the school curriculum and the entrance exam syllabus. In our assessment framework, we need to factor in not just academic performance but also extracurricular achievements, practical skills, aptitude and interests, and project work. These reforms must make our system more practicable and humane to identify and nurture diverse talents.

After all, our responsibility lies in preparing the next generation of innovators and leaders, not simply creating excellent test-takers.

A B Medappa
Research Associate, CEED (A Unit of CESS)

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