IIT Council plans pilot adaptive tests to modernise JEE Advanced and ease student pressure levels

Adaptive testing plan for JEE Advanced gains backing from IIT Council

The IIT Council has proposed a significant overhaul of the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced by recommending the introduction of adaptive testing, a technology-driven assessment model designed to better evaluate candidates’ abilities while reducing stress. The proposal is aimed at making the highly competitive entrance examination for the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) more scientific, flexible and student friendly.The recommendation was discussed during an IIT Council meeting held in August after a gap of two years. The Council, chaired by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, includes directors of all IITs and chairpersons of their respective Boards of Governors. According to the meeting minutes, the Council also suggested creating sanctioned posts for mental health professionals across IIT campuses.Transformation from static to adaptive model of examsThe present system of JEE Advanced allows the same pool of problems for all candidates irrespective of the performance of the candidates. The adaptive testing model under consideration would instead adjust the difficulty of questions in real time based on a candidate’s responses. Correct answers would lead to more challenging questions, while incorrect responses would result in easier ones.This approach, as outlined in the proposal, is intended to provide a more accurate measure of a student’s understanding, reasoning ability and problem-solving skills. It also aims to reduce the impact of chance factors that can influence outcomes in a fixed-question format.Concerns regarding the coaching and learning culture and stress among pupilsThe proposal was put forth by the director of IIT Kanpur, Prof Manindra Agrawal. He discussed issues regarding the format that is at present followed in the JEE Advanced exam. According to the minutes of the meeting, he drew attention to the growing dominance of the coaching industry and the emotional and financial strain placed on students and families preparing for the examination.Note that the minutes indicate the high stakes and scarcity of chances as the reason for the intense pressure the existing system imposes on the candidates. The adaptive model was proposed as a way to better judge critical thinking and reasoning skills, while making the examination process more robust against operational challenges.Expert committee and pilot mock test proposedTo examine the feasibility of the transition, the IIT Council has recommended the constitution of an expert committee led by the JEE Apex Board (JAB) and IIT Kanpur. The committee will evaluate the adaptive testing proposal, including its potential to reduce dependence on coaching and minimise exam-related vulnerabilities.As part of the process, the Council has suggested conducting an optional adaptive mock test around two months before JEE Advanced. The mock test would be free for students and intended to assist candidates in testing themselves. Performance data from the pilot would be compared with actual JEE Advanced results to study effectiveness.Technology framework and future roadmapThe proposal will see the development of a question generation system that is efficient enough to produce questions dynamically for various levels of difficulties. This is meant to ensure that the testing environments are fair, scalable, and safe.It has been advised to conduct a systematic analysis of operational logistics, impact on student performance, and technological requirements before embarking on any full-scale implementation. A white paper would be prepared based on the findings, which would outline a roadmap with a timeline for transitioning JEE Advanced to adaptive testing. A metamorphosis? The plans for change suggested by the Council seem to herald only the beginning of a process, with more details determined by expert feedback and pilot schemes.