From 2011, the CBSE-conducted All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE) and the All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT) will be merged into a single examination. This will help students seeking admission into engineering and medical colleges for they will take a single entrance exam instead of two now.

This was announced by HRD minister Kapil Sibal during a meeting of state education ministers here on Friday. Though states supported the move, it remains to be seen if they emulate it for state entrance tests.

However, the state ministers were not supportive of Centre’s decision to increase the age of retirement of college teachers from 62 to 65. While approving the idea, a few states even showed reluctance about sharing cost of life and health insurance for teachers. As for the common entrance test, Sibal said, “There are two common subjects — physics and chemistry — for both engineering and medical entrance. Mathematics and biology are separate. Those aspiring for engineering can attempt mathematics and those for medical can go for biology.”

Explaining how the common entrance will work, an HRD official said, “There will be four papers of mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology. A student appearing for both engineering and medical will have to take all four papers. We will ensure that mathematics and biology papers are not held at the same time. Based on their score it will be decided if a student qualifies for engineering or medical. Those who want to appear just for engineering or medical will have to take three papers each.”

The decision is part of HRD’s design to have a common entrance even for central university admissions. There is also a plan of giving weightage to class XII marks in entrance tests for professional and other courses.