The admission pattern and scheme may be changed from next year as the panel from Human Resource and Development Ministry has recommended seventy percent weightage to class 12 marks and thirty percent marks for performance in an aptitude test. The aptitude test may be conducted more than once a year.

A cutoff list on the basis of the class XII result and the aptitude test will be prepared in the month of June every year and the top 40,000 will have to take an additional test for IITs. Over four lakh students now appear for IITJEE in a single test.

The panel headed by Damodar Acharya, director of IIT Kharagpur, that gave its report to HRD minister Kapil Sibal on Wednesday, has also suggested that the aptitude test be an ongoing affair which students can take more than once. However, the best score in the aptitude test —which will have questions on reasoning, numerical ability and communication skills — should be taken into account.

It is only the add-on test for the top students that will have questions on physics, mathematics and chemistry. However, the panel has put a restriction on the number of times the add-on test can be taken.

Also, unlike the present system, students will have to indicate right at the beginning whether they are applying for the IITs or other institutes — like Indian Institute of Science Education & Research — whose admission test is also conducted through JEE. Students will also have to spell out their choice of branch of engineering or stream of pure science.