Following the government’s decision to scrap the GCET for JEE from 2024-25 academic year, some of the stakeholders have accepted it as a prudent decision while others have expressed their reluctance to accept it.
Welcoming the decision, Dilip Naik, the CEO of Rainbow Solar Power Solutions and Automation, said, “JEE mains will help our students to apply for NIT as well as GEC or other private engineering institutes in Goa. Our students won’t have to answer GCET and JEE Mains separately and will help them to focus on cracking JEE Mains. One single exam and multiple college choices.”
“It is better to have an all India competition and get into a college maybe in a State quota or all India level entry mode. Time has come to think global way and this would facilitate more and more institutions like IITs to make an entry in Goa. We can foresee Goa as an educational hub in the near future,” he added.
Consulting psychologist Kezia D’Souza feels that the government’s decision on JEE is a good one as the exams will help in screening better candidates.
Pointing out that many students prepare for GCET from the 8th standard, Kezia said, “As the curriculum will be different it will be a shock as they have been preparing so long for the exams. Also, considering the JEE exams which will be more difficult and along with the boards of 12th standard, the students will be worried and caught up in tight spot.”
“Many parents spend a lot of money for tuitions and coaching classes for GCET exams, it will be devastating due to the change in the exams...JEE will be beneficial in the long run but due to the abrupt decision a lot of students will feel their time has been wasted has they have been preparing for GCET,” she added.
Lata Naik, a teacher, said, “Students from remote area having no educational background in the family will suffer more as now they will have larger portion and less time to study. Not only that, it will be a tough time for teachers also, to give justice to the syllabus coverage and coaching to be given to students.”
The decision is not fully in favour of students as all cannot afford to pay the fees of coaching classes, and at the same time all are not gifted intellectually, she added.
Software engineer Atlee Fernandes looks at this as a chance for students from other States to seek educational opportunities in Goa by having a centralised JEE exam. “Students in Goa also benefit by having to prepare for only one exam instead of both. And change during mid-year won’t affect students much as they have been already preparing for competitive exams,” said Atlee.
According to him it is not injustice. “It may be unfair to the students who have just passed out so there should be a provision to allow them too. To students who are preparing if the exam is in 2024, then it is okay,” he reasons.
And as feared, there is no danger or loss to the business of coaching classes, Atlee points out, saying, “This would increase their business. Those who only coach GCET may lose business. Same happened when exams were not made compulsory in Goa and held only during 9th and 10th class. Coaching classes would need.”
Refuting the claims of a scam between tutorial classes and the government, Atlee argues that JEE has been always there and most of the students give this exam along with their respective CET.
