I never knew that IITs set the question papers of the entrance examinations in Hindi too. Why should it be in Hindi when the subjects of tests are physics, chemistry and mathematics? Is the decision a political one or one necessary for selecting the best students for admitting in IITs giving due considerations for rural and underprivileged students, as some claim?

About 472,000 students across the country appeared for the IIT-JEE 2010 for admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology for 10,000 seats in 15 IITs, IT-BHU, Varanasi and ISM, Dhanbad. How may opted for the question papers in Hindi and do they answer it too in Hindi?

As reported and agreed by IIT’s authority in charge of the entrance examinations, the instructions of the Hindi version of the question papers were having errors that may cost students 48 marks. “The Hindi version of the papers also carried wrong instructions. As per the English version of the paper, there were certain questions carrying 48 marks. However, the Hindi versions presented the same questions with wrong instruction that they carried 18 marks. Besides, certain questions were not printed in the Hindi version.”

I don’t if IITs set the question papers in any other language also. Naturally the problems would have multiplied.

The prestigious Super 30 has appealed for re-examination. I am shocked to know the views of the Super 30 of Patna. It has got a global recognition for its unique performance and as it is free and meant for the deprived class. I wonder why it can’t train and prepare its students to take the examinations of science subjects in English. After all, for understanding the questions of the science subjects, the knowledge of English required is just minimal. An intelligent student with future career in mind in contemporary situation can be expected to learn the language that will be the medium for the years in IIT and the career thereafter. Mr. Anand Kumar must train his students to take the examinations in English.

The chairperson of IIT-JEE organizing committee assured the candidates that these mistakes would not affect their performance and would be taken care of during evaluation of papers.

I wonder if the candidate can believe it. Very lately, the IIT entrance system is in question and under legal scan many a times.

It’s unfortunate that the performance of a student in the IIT entrance examination in recent years depend more on the coaching centre/s the student uses. It’s a great business for the thousands of coaching centres spread all over the country and many of them are unscrupulously pick pocketing the students even without providing any significant assistance for the success. No doubt, the coaching centres never fail to take all credit of the success of each and every student. Interestingly, many a times, more than one institute takes credit for the wonderful performance of an individual student. I wonder why can’t IITs’ great academic innovate and find a way so that the intervention of the coaching centres is eliminated, unless IITs itself is involved in the profitable business.

Kota has become a household name for preparing for IITs. Many startups have come up with online facilities too.

But today my question is different. Will the foreign universities expected to open their establishments in India as expected by Kapil Sibal have to have use Hindi in its entrance examinations?

Why the language of the entrance examinations for the higher education can’t is only English? Perhaps the best way out may be the basing of the selection for IITs on the scores in science subjects in the board examinations that will have common curricula.