Central Seat Allocation Board pushes for higher Joint Entrance Examination Main participation from Nagaland, North-eastern states

Local Organising Committee members of CSAB addressing a press conference at Kohima Press Club office on Tuesday (EM Images)

• KOHIMA — Concerned over the marginal number of students from the north-eastern states registering for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main, the Central Seat Allocation Board (CSAB) has urged students from the region to appear for the examination.
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• In an effort to raise awareness among eligible students in the NE states to register for the Joint Entrance Examination Main 2025, members of the local organising committee, CSAB 2025, addressed a press conference at the Kohima Press Club office on Tuesday,
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• Prof. Anindya Basu, chairman of local organising committee, CSAB 2025, disclosed that participation from the northeast region in the JEE main exam is minimal.
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• Noting that many students are not aware about the process of registering for the JEE main examination, Basu explained that the JEE main exam, which is a gateway to premier institutions in the country, covers Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.
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• He also informed that around 700-800 seats across India are earmarked for students from NEUT (North East and Union Territories) and in which students from other states cannot participate.
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• Every state has a National Institute of Technology (NIT) where 50 per cent seats are reserved for students from the home state.
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• However, in last few years, even the home state seats are not filled up by the state students, he said, while adding that “If they try and appear for JEE main exams, there are a lot of opportunities for them.”
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• He further informed that registration for session 2 (April 2025) will close on Feb. 25.
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• Prof. Pankaj Kumar Sa, co-chair of local organising committee, CSAB 2025, said that around 15 lakhs students appeared for the JEE main examination last year.
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• Out of the total candidates, the NE’s population share is less than one percent and this has been the statistics since inception of JEE, prompting the committee members to visit the NE states and create awareness, he said.
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• Dr. Wati Walling, Dean (Academic) of NIT Nagaland, pointed out some of the possible reasons for less takers for JEE main examination, including lack of awareness among students; low rate of takers of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics subjects after class 10; and the preference to send children outside Nagaland state for studies.
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• He also informed that NIT Nagaland in Chümoukedima district has six branches of engineering - civil, mechanical, electrical, electronics and communications, computer science, electronics and instrumentations. The institute has currently about 900 students, he added.