Senior NCP leader Dhananjay Munde has requested chief minister Devendra Fadnavis not to implement the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE-Main) for admission to engineering colleges till the state upgrades its syllabus at par with the CBSE.
"In 2014 and 2015, admissions to engineering were done on the basis of JEE-Main exam. The exam is based on CBSE syllabus due to which meritorious students from rural areas suffer academically," Munde, who is leader of opposition in the Maharashtra legislative council, said in a letter to Fadnavis on April 24.
"Due to this, the government had shifted back to CET from 2016. Now this year too, admissions to engineering colleges will be done on basis of CET results.
"However from 2018, Maharashtra will be part of the JEE-Main and All India Engineering Entrance Exam-AIEEE for admissions to engineering colleges. Since the exam is based on CBSE syllabus, only students who have cleared their 11th and 12th with CBSE curriculum will stand to benefit," Munde said.
Students in rural areas who are part of the Higher Secondary School (HSC) board of the state government will lose out in the race to secure admission to engineering colleges, he said.
The opposition leader demanded that unless the 11th and 12th standard syllabus under the state government is not converted to CBSE, it would be unfair for rural students to implement the JEE-Main exam.
Munde said the government should reconsider its decision to be part of the JEE-Main and AIEEE and make attempts to ensure smooth admissions of meritorious rural students in engineering colleges.
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