IIT Council Proposes Adaptive JEE Advanced Based on Ability

• JEE Advanced may adopt real-time, ability-based questions
• An optional adaptive test could be held before the exam
• Focus on aptitude to reduce coaching dependence

 In a move aimed at making the JEE Advanced exam “a better and less stressful assessment”, the IIT Council has recommended that an expert committee evaluate the possibility of making the test adaptive, where questions are dynamically generated and adjusted in real-time depending on the candidate’s ability.

The Council, which is the apex coordination body of the premier institutes, has also recommended that an optional adaptive test be held as a pilot ahead of the next JEE Advanced exam this year for data to be collected on performance.

Based on the results, a phased roadmap with specific timelines for the transition to adaptive testing can be outlined, according to the minutes of the meeting held on August 25 last year and released on Monday.

The Council has also recommended that sanctioned posts be created for mental health professionals at IITs.

The IIT Council meeting was held last August after a gap of two years. The Council is led by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as the chairperson and includes Directors of all IITs and chairpersons of their Board of Governors.

According to the minutes of the meeting, IIT Kanpur Director Prof Manindra Agrawal shared concerns regarding the current structure of JEE Advanced, which is the common entrance exam for the IITs, the prevalence of a huge coaching industry, and the significant emotional and financial stress on families.

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Pointing out that the exam needs to better assess critical thinking and reasoning skills, Agrawal proposed a shift to adaptive testing. “This model further reduces coaching dependency, enhances fairness, and allows flexible, secure testing environments,” he stated.

The IIT Council then recommended that a panel led by the JEE Apex Board (JAB) and IIT Kanpur consider the proposal, the operational logistics involved and its potential to reduce dependency on coaching, according to the minutes. The Council also recommended that a tool be developed to generate questions of varying difficulty levels.

According to the minutes, the Council suggested holding a free mock test two months ahead of the exam, which is usually held in May. Last year, over 1.80 lakh candidates had appeared for the computer-based JEE Advanced exam with 54,378 qualifying.