The Council of IITs have proposed a Common Entrance Aptitude Test for admission to Engineering programmes across the country. The proposal is to begin this pattern by 2013 which will be applicable to all IITs and other Engineering colleges. The Council which met in New Delhi on Wednesday also gave its nod to the proposal to give weightage to class 12th results. The objective is to weaken the clout of coaching institutes.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, the Human Resource Development Minister, Kapil Sibal said that this pattern will reduce stress for students and improve access to education. The joint Council also agreed to raise the fees of IITs students from 50,000 rupees a year to two lakh rupees as recommended by the Kakodkar Committee.

The Minister said that the Council also agreed that during the study period the student will pay only 50 thousand rupees and the balance fee of 1.5 lakh rupees will be recovered after the student gets employment.

AIR correspondent reports, the fee hike would impact only general category students as students from SC,ST and OBC except creamy layer will continue to pay the old fee.