Government plans one national test for university admissions

NEW DELHI: The New Education Policy is set to propose a single test of subject-specific aptitude for admission to colleges and universities across the country, to be conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), human resource development minister Ramesh Pokhriyal said.
NEP-2020 is likely to suggest an aptitude test and tests in specific subjects that can be taken multiple times in a year. The minister said analysis of over 2 lakh suggestions had been completed and “we will be soon ready with the final NEP (2020) draft”. TOI had reported on the plan for a common entrance test for colleges on June 17, 2019.

“We are at the final stage of finalising the new policy. We set up an office in Bangalore to analyse suggestions for higher education, while for school education, a committee under CBSE chief Anita Karwal finalised the report. Five days ago, I met education secretaries and a CBSE team with the analysis,” Pokhriyal told TOI.

‘Common test expected to reduce burden on students’

I am hopeful of a progressive and completely India-centric education policy. We will announce it soon after getting the nod from the Prime Minister,” HRD minister Pokhriyal told TOI. At present, an aspirant has to sit for multiple entrance tests or register multiple times for admission to colleges and universities.

He said apart from reducing the burden on aspirants, the common tests are also expected to help the universities and colleges. “This is very much a part of NEP. When it is part of the policy, it is important to implement it in the right spirit,” he added. The minister said success of the common modular entrance test will lie with the top universities. “They need to come forward on a mission mode to make this a success.”