1. MP Student Achieves Record Score to Top JEE Advanced, Increase in Pass Percentage
The results of the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) Advanced were announced on Sunday, with the top two spots secured by students from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi zone. Ved Lahoti achieved the top rank by scoring 355 out of 360 marks, the highest ever, according to officials. The female topper is Dwija Dharmeshkumar Patel, who achieved an All India Rank (AIR) of 7 from the IIT Bombay zone.
Ved Lahoti, originally from Madhya Pradesh, prepared for the entrance exam in Kota, Rajasthan. “A positive pressure, combined with healthy competition, is necessary to clear an exam like JEE Advanced,” said Lahoti, who lived alone in Kota, with his mother visiting him every two months.
Dwija, on the other hand, prepared from home. “Shifting to any other place means you will take a while to adjust to the new set-up. At home, you can just focus on studies. I joined a nearby coaching institute so that I can stay comfortably at home,” she explained.
IIT Madras released the final JEE Advanced 2024 toppers list on June 9 at jeeadv.ac.in. The list includes the names of JEE Advanced toppers, their Common Rank List (CRL), and marks obtained out of 360. Candidates who qualify can participate in the JoSAA counseling process starting June 10.
A total of 48,248 candidates have qualified for admission to 17,740 seats available in 23 IITs. This year, 1,80,200 candidates appeared for the entrance test held on May 26, with a pass percentage of 26.77%. Last year, the pass percentage was 24.26%, down from 26.17% in 2022.
2. Dharmendra Pradhan Continues as Education Minister in Modi’s Third Term
Dharmendra Pradhan continues to head the Ministry of Education in the third term of the NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The 72-member Union Council of Ministers in the Modi 3.0 government includes 30 cabinet ministers and five ministers of state (independent charge). The ministers were administered the oath of office by President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday, June 9.
Pradhan has served as a Union Minister in PM Modi’s two previous terms, handling portfolios including petroleum and natural gas, education, and skill development. In the Prime Minister’s first term, Ramesh Pokhriyal served as the education minister from 2014 until the cabinet reshuffle on July 7, 2021.
Pradhan, inducted into the Union Cabinet for the third time on Sunday, returned to the Lok Sabha after 15 years by winning from Sambalpur in Odisha, defeating Biju Janata Dal’s Pranab Prakash Das by over 1.19 lakh votes.
Dharmendra Pradhan will continue as the education minister, while Jayant Chaudhary and Sukanta Majumdar will be ministers of state for education, as announced by the President Secretariat on Monday. Chaudhary will also serve as the MoS (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Majumdar will hold charge as MoS in the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region.
3. CBSE Warns Against Misinformation on Syllabus and Sample Papers
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) issued a cautionary advisory on Monday, urging students and parents to beware of misinformation about the syllabus, study materials, and sample question papers for the 2024-25 academic session. The Board warned against being misled by online platforms spreading unverified information.
“It has come to our notice that certain online portals and websites are circulating outdated links and unverified news related to sample question papers, curriculum, CBSE resources, and activities. These links and news falsely claim to provide updated information for the session 2024-25,” the advisory stated.
“In the interest of the public, we wish to emphasize that information from unauthorized sources can be misleading and may cause unnecessary confusion among schools, students, parents, and other stakeholders,” it added.Recently, CBSE has also directed schools to properly evaluate practical examinations due to notable inconsistencies between theory and practical scores in specific subjects.
4. Tamil Nadu Panel Pushes for NEET Abolition, Proposes Class 12 Marks as Criteria
Justice A K Rajan, a retired judge of the Madras High Court, has urged the Tamil Nadu government to take immediate action to abolish the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) through legal or legislative measures. He recommends that Class 12 marks be made the sole criterion for admission to first-year medical programs.
Justice Rajan, who led a high-level committee, emphasized the need to ensure equal opportunities for students from different education boards by normalizing scores. This panel, established by the DMK in 2021, conducted an extensive study based on data and feedback from students, parents, and the public regarding the impact of NEET on medical college admissions.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M K Stalin posted on the social media platform X about the detailed report submitted to the government. The Tamil Nadu government has described NEET as being anti-poor and anti-social. CM Stalin announced that the Justice A K Rajan committee report would be made available in English and other major Indian languages to highlight the negative effects of NEET.
5. JoSAA 2024 Registration Begins Today at josaa.nic.in: Steps to Apply
The Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) 2024 has commenced the online application and choice filling process. Candidates who have met the JEE Main cut-off and qualified for JEE Advanced 2024 can register for JoSAA counseling online until June 18. The official website for registration and choice filling is josaa.nic.in. The pre-payment of the JoSAA seat acceptance fee has also begun.
Admission to Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs), and some government-funded technical institutes (GFTIs) is based on marks and ranks obtained in JEE Main 2024 and JEE Advanced 2024 through JoSAA’s online counseling and seat allocation process.
Eligibility Criteria for JoSAA Counselling 2024:
Students who cleared JEE Advanced 2024 are eligible to participate in JoSAA 2024 counseling. Candidates must either have 75% in Class XII or be in the top 20 percentile. The qualifying percentage for SC, ST, and PwD candidates is 65% for admission into IITs.
Steps to Register for JoSAA Counselling 2024:
Go to the official website, josaa.nic.in.
Click on the link titled “JoSAA Counselling Registration.”
Enter your JEE Main 2024/JEE Advanced 2024 application number and password in the new window.
Submit the details.
Lock your choices after filling them out online.
Required Documents for JoSAA Counselling 2024:
Class 10 and 12 Mark sheets/Certificates, Category certificate (if applicable), PwD certificate (if applicable), Bank details, Medical certificate, OCI/PIO card (if applicable), Passport/Citizenship certificate (if applicable), JEE Main/Advanced admit card.
JoSAA Counselling 2024 Fees:
There is no charge for choice filling, but there is a seat acceptance fee (SAF) of Rs 20,000 for SC/ST/PwD categories and Rs 45,000 for General/OBC-NCL/GEN-EWS categories.
Participating Institutes in JoSAA Counselling 2024:
JoSAA 2024 includes around 118 institutes, comprising IITs, NITs, IIITs, GFTIs, and others.