An Open Letter to Chairman CSAB 2013

JEE 2013 – A Disastrous Failure
Dear Mr. Sunil Kr Sarangi, Chairman CSAB 2013,
On behalf of all those students who have been unfortunate to be associated with the JEE exam this year thereby suffering the mistakes of the system, we would like to raise a few questions about the JEE hoping that there might be some answers from your end.
The year 2012 brought in astonishing surprises for students stepping into higher education especially the engineering and medical aspirants. While the thought behind a common exam seemed actually good, the speed of its implementation has not just disappointed, it has wrecked havoc with the lives and careers of innumerable students.
We made a list of the events starting with the announcement of JEE as a common exam just to ask you whether anything is right at all in this whole process:
1. The year 2012- The HRD Minister announced the idea of a common exam. With a demographic country like India with 29 states and 7 union territories having different state boards with differences in the medium of instructions, syllabi and marking systems, surely a time frame was required to compare and see the feasibility. Why was this basic exercise ignored?

2. The JEE was announced in two stages. In the face of a lot of debate amongst even the policy makers on the feasibility, why was their opinion brushed aside?

3. Why was the original simple normalization formula of 60: 40 (JEE scores: Class XII) not adopted and changed in spite of opposition from all quarters?

4. Why was the normalization formula implemented hastily against sound advice from the academicians consulted as well as the international advisory - the Australian Council for Educational Research? Read the Complete Story of JEE Normalization and how ISI recommendations were used to suit the purpose as required.

5. Why did the committee decide to map the percentile of the boards to the JEE Main scores when that was not the original proposal?

A big question mark hangs on the intentions of the CBSE and the MHRD and its rationale for pushing the reforms irrespective of the consequences.

JEE Results & Seat Allotments:

1. Results were delayed simply because the system was not ready. At the risk of sounding repetitive, we once again ask why?

2. How could the board announce allotments and withdraw them for no fault of the students? Why did the CSAB not co-ordinate with the CDAC authorities to ensure codes, rules matched? Isn’t a basic co-ordination required to be in place between the two agencies responsible for the welfare of lakhs of students?

3. To completely blame the fiasco on CDAC shows a lack of responsibility Sir. Would a simple apology suffice when it is known that these results make or break the resolves of the students?

4. Another notification came on the heels of Seat Allotment fiasco on July 13, 2013 where 25 students lost their seats due to a computer error. Instead of blaming them for the choices (they were following the CSAB instructions), wouldn’t it have been correct to have a proper system in place?

5. Sure, the Second allotment came late again but with another error in place. How can the system not consider students who may not have been allotted seats due to cutoffs but who might still be eligible?

6. July 18 saw another computer error. One Lakh students were erroneously allotted seats in the Mechanical branch of NIT Patna. Isn’t it time to stop, reflect and revamp the system instead of carrying on while issuing apology after apology?

7. July 18 again saw another fiasco with no upgradation of the status of 135 students who had been rejected due to their documents not being in order. The review later did place 57 students but surely upgradation should have been an integral part of the system? Why is it missing?

8. The schedule given by CSAB – yes the revised one also isn’t adhered to. Why Sir to have a schedule when there is no intention to follow it at all?

9. Your assurance about the joining dates for students allotted seats is nothing short of laughable. How can a seat be a student’s forever if the basic rules mention that admission formalities should be done within a time frame?

10. In the same vein, you do mention that the admission will be as per the respective institute’s guidelines. Also, you request the institutes to give the students some more grace period of a week. How can a notification be so contradictory in the two paragraphs it contains?

We are afraid that the above mentioned events are just the tip on the iceberg. We feel that the whole process touted as transparent is just the opposite of it.

LATEST:
CSAB has announced an error in Institute Name during JEE Main 2013 Choice Filling.

WHY did the CSAB remove the Closing ranks following Upgaradtion after JEE Main 2013 Second Round a few hours after it was uploaded on their website?

We have been innundated by calls from students on this issue. They have brought in their details to give us examples of how they have been discriminated by the CSAB with no allotments in spite of being eligible with ranks within cutoffs declared by the CSAB.

Reaction of students and parents against the CBSE and against JEE/Normalization:

Enraged parents along with their wards have resorted to the next best thing they feel would serve them justice. As many as 53 cases have been filed in the various High Courts as well as the Supreme Court. Cases are being heard in the Andhra High Court, Delhi, Chandigarh, and many more. Students have been vocal on the social media increasingly critical of the whole process. The Andhra High Court has been extremely supportive of the cause of the students with the CBSE being pulled up in this regard. The Supreme Court has not stayed the admission process but has put a clause to it saying that it will be valid subject to the verdict in this regard.

Slowly the State Governments might wake up to join their students. Already the Andhra Government as well as the opposition there has thrown their support behind the students.

We feel strongly that the students who are increasingly in large numbers protesting against the new system are perfectly right in expecting that they should get their due. They should get a system which is not a poor excuse of a national body but one that delivers flawlessly and on time. They are entitled to a fair transparent system which does not give and then take at whim and fancy. They are most of all entitled to have the right to a hassle free education; one that is fair and does not discriminate on account of any factor.

Keeping in light the above mentioned factors, we at Careers360 have pledged to fight for the students and will continue to do so till justice is served.

Yours truly

Team Careers360

We appeal to the students with similar stories to come forward and discuss their details & opinion with us.

To talk to us, call us on 011-49291133 or write to us on counselling@careers360.org.

Students -Please share this as much as you can to create more awareness and help us fight your cause. Let us turn it into a movement!