The government today clarified that it has no role whatsoever in deciding the eligibility criteria to appear in the entrance exam for the IITs. In a statement, the HRD Minister Mr. Kapil Sibal vehemently denied that the government has made any proposal to allow only those students who obtain 80 per cent in class 12th to sit for this exam. He said that reports suggesting this are baseless. Mr. Sibal said, the only decision the IIT council took yesterday is that the committee will submit its report on the rationalization of JEE by January. He said it is the IITs who will decide on what weightage should be given to the Class 12 examination of whether the marks or percentile should be the basis for admission. He reiterated that the government has no jurisdiction in the matter and the HRD Ministry can in no way either directly or indirectly decide or make any proposal or a decision .<br/><br/>BJP today opposed any move to increase the cut-off for clearing IIT entrance exams arguing that it would deprive students from poor families to be in the premier institutions. Party Spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters in New Delhi that the proposal is the result of Union HRD Minister's desire to hog the limelight. He said that the saffron party will strongly oppose any move under the garb of reforms to deny poor students from the hinterland and mofussil towns a chance to aspire for the IIT.