Do you support the idea of a Single Entrance Test for College Admissions across India?

After the successful implementation of the Reservation Policy in educational institutions, India’s Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister, Kapil Sibal, has now set sights on another dream. The dream of implementing a single entrance examination for college admissions across the country. Setting his target year as 2013, Sibal has spoken in length about making the education system stress-free for students and relieving them of the pressure of appearing for different entrance exams for different educational institutions. The HRD Ministry, has infact already started the process to understand the feasibility of such a move by setting up a committee under Science & Technology Secretary, T. Ramaswamy. The committee will study the current methodology followed by institutions to select students for undergraduate admissions. The committee has put up its recommendations on the ‘National Testing Scheme (NTS)’ for public view, such that the general opinion on the move could be understood. The current system based on multiples of competitive examination has no parallel in other parts of the world. Most nations employ just one test for assessment of scholastic aptitude instead of a plethora of evaluation tests. Working with this ideology, the Committee has recommended the use of a single entrance exam along with due weightage to Class 12 Board examination marks for UG admissions.