IIT aspirants must get 80% in Class XII

The eligibility for appearing in the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) entrance test could be raised from 60 per cent marks secured in the Class XII Board examination. It will be applicable from 2011.

Addressing reporters after a meeting of the IIT Council — the highest decision making body of the institution — Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said this was done to ensure that students took their Class XII exams seriously and also to check the growth of coaching centres, which were thriving on imparting coaching to IIT aspirants.

Mr. Sibal said the present eligibility of 60 per cent marks for appearing in the IIT-JEE was not acceptable. “The minimum marks required could be raised up to 80 per cent,” he said.