JEE Main widens its reach; to be offered in more regional languages

NEW DELHI: Widening the reach of the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE Main), the Joint Admission Board (JAB) decided to offer the computer based test in more regional languages on Thursday. JEE (Main), which is the national level competitive test for admission to various undergraduate engineering and architecture courses, including the eligibility test for the JEE (Advanced) for admission to the IITs is currently offered in English, Hindi and Gujarati.The JEE (Main) 2021 first cycle exam is likely to be conducted by January-end.
The meeting of the JAB for the JEE (Main) 2021 discussed the modalities for offering the test in regional languages. The Board decided one a two-pronged method to decide on the language policy. The first formula is that JEE (Main) can be offered in those regional languages where the states are already conducting their local entrance exams for engineering and architecture courses. The second formula is that whichever states are part of the JEE (Main) and wants its language to be included in the test will be offered.
According to a senior official part of the meeting, “The JAB decided that JEE (Main) can be offered in a regional language if the state is part of the JEE (Main). Also it can be offered in a regional language if any state engineering entrance is being offered in that particular language. The final list of languages to be offered will be finalised after further consultation, which includes the interested states. But yes JEE (Main) will be offered in more regional languages from 2021 as there are states which have requested for the same.”
The TOI earlier in November 2019 first reported that the JEE (Main) will be offered in 11 regional languages from January 2021. According to sources from the ministry of education this would help students continue their schooling in their mother tongue instead of shifting to English or Hindi medium.
According to NTA sources, at least 11 languages which include Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Odiya, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu are likely to be included in JEE (Main) from 2021.
In 2019, Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, while questioning the inclusion of Gujarati, demanded inclusion of other regional languages. The MoE then clarified it has been offering the test in Gujarati following a request from the state and informed the State that the test will be offered in all the 11 languages from 2021. The ministry also asked NTA to explore possibilities to offer the competitive exams in as many languages as possible.