JEE Main likely to replace GUJCET again for engineering, pharmacy admissions: Report

NEW DELHI: The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board is planning to replace Gujarat Common Entrance Test (GUJCET) once again with Joint Entrance Examination - Main (JEE Main) for admission to engineering and pharmacy colleges. The changes are expected to be introduced from the academic year 2025, as per reports.

The state government is mulling over the proposal to do away with the GUJCET exam. The board is expected to retain the present system of preparing the merit list, however, it will be prepared based on the marks obtained in the Class 12 board exam and JEE Main with a weightage of 60:40 ratio respectively, the Times of India reported.

So far, the Gujarat Board has been preparing merit list based on marks scored in the Class 12 board exam and the GUJCET exam in the ratio of 60% and 40% respectively.

"The proposal to do away with GujCET and have JEE as the sole entrance test for engineering and pharma courses is being considered as students are overburdened with the task of appearing for two entrance tests - JEE and GujCET. About 90% of students who take their Class 12 exams also appear for two JEE exams in a year," the TOI quoted government sources.

Every year, around 70,000 students take the GUJCET exam. The state-level entrance exam scores are accepted by most of the government colleges.

This is not the first time the state government is planning to do away with the GUJCET exam. The exam was first introduced in 2004-05 and later in 2013 it was replaced with JEE Main. After receiving representations from students, the state government re-introduced GUJCET in 2017.