The contrast is glaring. In the eyes of the public, the Indian Institutes of Technology are the bulwarks of quality engineering education, while the National Institutes of Technology are perennial members of the second rung. They have never been seen as equals, even though both have been around for decades, both are autonomous public entities, and both enjoy the official title of institutes of national importance.This disparity is visible at every step: the 18 IITs get more grants than the 31 NITs, and, in any engineering aspirant’s wish list, the IITs rank higher. Furthermore, in the two-step Joint Entrance Examination, the NITs get to take their pick after the first round, while the IITs allow admission after further winnowing of candidates.For years, the Minister of Human Resource Development tried to create a level playing field by mandating joint counselling sessions for the NITs and the IITs. However, the IITs put up resistance, claiming that glitches in a software made it impossible. They finally yielded this year in the face of the HRD Ministry’s unbending stance. A common counselling session was conducted, ending the problem of candidates blocking “safe seats” while waiting for the waiting-list to clear up for their preferred institution.Satisfied with that outcome, HRD Minister Smriti Irani is moving ahead with more proposals to further reduce the divide between NITs and IITs. At recent meetings of the NIT and IIT councils, chaired by Irani, several suggestions were made to harmonise the workings of the institutions. As per notices issued by the ministry, Irani wants a common entrance examination for both IITs and NITs, student loans, and more government funding for research projects.To streamline admissions, the ministry is considering integrating the engineering entrance exams across the country. It wants to start this with the NITs and the IITs, and then move on to other institutions. The idea is to do away with multiple exams, ranks and counselling sessions, which cause confusion among students, and create a hierarchy of exams in the public mind.When the IIT council met last month, there was a proposal to scrap the two steps of the Joint Entrance Examination and revert to a single test, as existed before 2013.“The current system of admission through a two-stage entrance was reviewed by the Council,” the HRD Ministry said in a press release . “It was decided that the system would be examined in depth by a group of eminent persons to determine whether it needed modification.”Meanwhile, a core committee is looking into the demands from the NITs for a common admission test and the scrapping of the 40% weightage given to Class XII grades.Apart from integrating the entrance processes, the HRD Ministry also wants the IITs and NITs to conduct “handholding programmes” for academically weaker students.Between 2012 and 2015, more than 4,400 students dropped out of the IITs and the NITs due to academic pressure. This came to light a few months ago, after IIT Roorkee suspended 71 students mid-year for underperformance. Though the institute conditionally accepted the students again, the episode sparked a debate on whether engineering institutions are being too harsh on students.To curb the rising incidence of depression and to prevent students from dropping out, the ministry has asked the IIT and NIT councils to introduce a handholding programme for weaker students.“The Union Minister of HRD expressed her concern that there have been growing incidences of depression among the students due to non performance in studies,” the ministry said. “Therefore, NITs, IISERs, and IIEST should adopt ‘student centric approach’.”Under the handholding scheme, a mentor student will be designated to coach the students who are “weak in studies”. The ministry plans to provide financial incentives to these mentors, with funds from the central government.Irani is also keen on ensuring basic standards and structures in engineering institutions so that students don’t feel discriminated against because another public institute has better facilities. She has suggested drafting of new ways to increase the spending on research and facilities and to reduce the financial burden on students. A proposal to extend student loans, repayable over time, was discussed – and the directors of the IITs will likely take a decision on it.For the NITs, a clearer policy of student loans without interest is under deliberation.“The Council adopted a funding mechanism under which Government will appreciably enhance investments in capital assets, labs, equipment and research, leaving the bulk of running expenses to be recovered through student fee,” the ministry said. “The increased fee would be met 100 per cent by student – loans at zero per cent rate of interest.”Recent council meetings of both the IITs and NITs concluded with a resolution on providing “a guarantee of clean hostel, clean mess, clean water and hygienic & wholesome food” to all students. The institutions will adopt this pledge into their respective mission statements.