State board students form just 10 per cent of IIT aspirants in Tamil Nadu

Chennai: Less than 10 per cent of the 651 students, who qualified to join IITs in Tamil Nadu are from the state board.

This year JEE (advanced) results were announced on June 12. Of 4,174 students who registered for JEE (Advanced) exam, 651 students qualified. In IIT Madras zone 6,702 students qualified out of 33,000 students who wrote the exams.

“Among the qualified students from Tamil Nadu, 555 students are from CBSE board and 60 from state board. Remaining students are from other boards,” said G. Markandeyulu, JEE Chairman, IIT Madras.

Last year, 451 students from Tamil Nadu had qualified to join IITs. Though the number of students qualified for joining the IITs increased by 50 per cent this year, the number of students from the state board was reduced to 60 from 100.

“The main difference between the state board students and CBSE students is not the syllabus. CBSE students qualifying more because of the years of coaching they are undertaking,” said P.B. Prince Gajendrababu, general secretary, State Platform for Common SchoolSystem (SPCSS).

“This year more than two lakh students out of eight lakh have scored more than 1,000 marks. But these students lack exposure to entrance exams like JEE whereas all CBSE students are aware and studying for competitive exams from sixth standard,” he said.

There is a need to update higher secondary syllabus, which is almost 12 years old. Some teachers said higher secondary syllabus was made ready some two years ago, but the government officials yet to give their approval.

“We need to update our syllabus in a way to encourage our students to participate competitive exams,” a teacher said.