As per reports, the Human Resource Ministry (HRD) has apparently decided that JEE (Advanced) 2017 and GATE 2017 will go international with the objective of attracting foreign students to participate & come to India to study, thereby enabling the Indian Institute of Technology’s (IIT’s) to attain better rankings globally.
This move comes after Indian technological institutes fared poorly compared to their foreign counterparts in various rankings like the QS Best University Ranking etc.
To begin with, the HRD has decided to conduct 2017 JEE (Advanced) simultaneously in the 9 countries including 7 SAARC nations namely UAE, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, and Singapore. Notably, Pakistan has been removed from JEE 2017 exam centers. Indian security establishment has also given a nod for conducting the exams in the above-mentioned countries.
JEE 2016 was conducted in West Asian countries like UAE, which has several CBSE affiliated schools and the children of expatriates were able to take the exam. The only glitch here was that applicants of JEE 2016 had to travel all the way to India to take the exam. There has been no announcement, if, for JEE 2017, the same protocol will be followed or not.
Also Read: JEE Advanced 2017 to be Conducted by IIT Madras
According to reports, IIT seats basis 2017 JEE scores for foreign candidates will be will be supernumerary in nature, which means, that the number of seats available for Indian students will not be affected by this decision. The 10% increase in seats at IIT for foreign nationals will be in addition to the total number of seats available in the 23 Indian Institute of Technology in India.
Also Read: IIT JEE Advanced 2017 to be Held on May 21
There is good news for domestics IIT candidates as well! IIT’s have also decided to increase the overall total number of IIT seats by 5% as well from 2017! The revised total number of seats at IIT will now be 11,100 as opposed to the current 10572 seats.
IIT Bombay is going to anchor the outreach program including fee structure for foreign structure. At present, the annual fee at IIT hovers around Rs. 2.5 Lakh; but for international students, the fee is expected to be much more.