Students from nine countries to skip JEE (main), can sit straight for advanced test

The Joint Admission Board (JAB) of IITs has decided to let students from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Singapore, the UAE and Ethiopia directly appear for the JEE (advanced) test. They would not be required to appear for the JEE (main) that Indian students have to take.

"The idea has been approved in-principle. Each IIT will also ratify it and the IIT council will approve it next week," an official said.

The reason behind this step is to make IITs to the list of top international educational institutions. "In all international rankings one of the key parameters is international students and IITs lose out in a big way despite scoring well on other parameters," another official said.

"Foreign nationals will be given seats under supernumerary category," he added. IIT-Bombay will be given the prime responsibility of implementing the programme, the exams of which will be taken in centres set up in these countries.

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