JEE Advanced 2018: What separate merit list for girls mean | Photo Credit: Indiatimes

In a bid to reduce the gender gap at Indian Institutes of Technology, IITs and promote higher education in women, the Ministry of Human Resources Development, MHRD has directed the IITs to increase admissions of female candidates. As per the reports, the IITs are required to ensure that 14 percent admissions are of female candidates. In order to achieve the same, the HRD ministry has advised the IITs to release a separate merit list The report has had mixed set of responses. While academicians are worried that a separate merit list may result in the rationale of meritocracy, the reports have also confused male candidates. Here is what you need to understand about the 14 percent female quota and what it means for the male candidates and students at large preparing for JEE Advanced 2018.

Before we begin, it is important to understand the move would in no way affect the admissions of students or change the number of seats. The suggestion is to ensure a 14 percent quota by strictly filling supernumerary seats. Supernumerary means over and above, without changing the existing tally of seats. Explained below is the counselling process for JEE Advanced 2018, provided the suggestion of MHRD is accepted by Joint Seat Allocation Authority, JoSAA. Related News | JEE Advanced 2018: No. of seats set to increase across IITs with separate merit list for girls

Understanding the 14 percent reservation for girl students in IIT admissions through JEE Advanced 2018

The total number of seats across IITs would not be changed. Last year, the seats across IITs stood at 11,509. This number has not been changed or shifted. The seats were last year increase to 11, 509 from 10,988. This would continue to be the minimum number of seats at IITs, provided the seats are not increased again this year.

Admissions to various courses in IITs would be done on the basis of merit list prepared from JEE Advanced 2018 results.

IITs are required to ensure that there are at least 14 percent girls in the hired batch. This includes the provision of creating a supernumerary seat for girls. For example, suppose an IIT has a total of 100 seats to offer. As per the JEE Advanced 2018 results, say 6 girls and 94 boys are invited for admissions. Now as per the provision, IIT is required to have 14 percent, female students. To fill the gap, IIT would then invite girl candidates from a separate girl only merit list to fill 8 seats. The number of boys, however, would remain constant and additional provision of 8 seats – over and above the 100 total, would be made.

All candidates are hence requested to be patient about the same. The directives have not been assimilated as yet and whether or not it would be applicable in 2018 is not clear at present. Also, the move was suggested last year in a high-level meeting. As per the suggestion floated by MHRD, the ratio of female is to male candidates is to be increased to about 20 percent without decreasing the number of admissions of male candidates in IITs.

All candidates are hence advised to remain calm. The move, would in no manner have any adverse effect on the chances of students. It is aimed solely at reducing the gender gap in the technical higher education. JEE Advanced 2018 would be conducted by IIT Kanpur this year on May 20, 2018, in online or CBT mode. About 2,24,000 candidates who qualify JEE Main 2018 would be invited to write the JEE Advanced 2018.