In India, college entrance exams are the pivot
points around which a school going child's life revolves.
In order to get into the best colleges and universities, final year
high school students
(12th grade) have to score very high in the entrance examinations.
Unlike the US, where high school seniors take the SAT, Indian high
school students may have to take as many as half a dozen entrance
examinations in their final year. Competition is intense and is
far more brutal
than for Ivy Leagues.
In order to prepare for these exams, practically every high school student who can afford it, takes private coaching. This has become a huge industry. Anxious parents will spare no expense to get the best possible coaching for their kids.
Many years ago, I myself attended a famous coaching school in the South Extension neighborhood of Delhi called Sangal's classes to prepare for the Joint Entrance Examination of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT). IITs are the premier technical universities in India and every kid dreams of getting a set in one of the IITs.
The clipping on the left is a a notice for a second-level entrance examination! Its getting harder to get a slot in the better coaching schools. Evidentialy, as you can see from this clipping, the coaching schools have their own entrance examinations!
Note that kids start preparing for entrance examinations that they will take in the 12th grade from as early as the 8th grade! Basically, the last four years of high school are completely devoted to studies.
Interestingly, the Indian system seems to be very similar to the Japanese system. They use the term examination hell to refer to these entrance exams!
In order to prepare for these exams, practically every high school student who can afford it, takes private coaching. This has become a huge industry. Anxious parents will spare no expense to get the best possible coaching for their kids.
Many years ago, I myself attended a famous coaching school in the South Extension neighborhood of Delhi called Sangal's classes to prepare for the Joint Entrance Examination of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT). IITs are the premier technical universities in India and every kid dreams of getting a set in one of the IITs.
The clipping on the left is a a notice for a second-level entrance examination! Its getting harder to get a slot in the better coaching schools. Evidentialy, as you can see from this clipping, the coaching schools have their own entrance examinations!
Note that kids start preparing for entrance examinations that they will take in the 12th grade from as early as the 8th grade! Basically, the last four years of high school are completely devoted to studies.
Interestingly, the Indian system seems to be very similar to the Japanese system. They use the term examination hell to refer to these entrance exams!