New Delhi: A recent proposal by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) to provide more attempts to SC and ST students in the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE), conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) has been rejected by the Joint Admission Board (JAB) yesterday saying that SC/ST students are already being given special preference for admission to the elite institutes.

JAB is the highest body to take decision on IIT-JEE. Currently, all students are given two attempts to crack IIT-JEE.

"We need to maintain the status quo. The JAB thought that what is given to SCs/STs is sufficient," said an IIT Director.

The members at the JAB were of the view that SC/ST students were getting separate merit list with relaxed cut-off was being drawn up for these students.

Preparatory classes are conducted for SC/ST students whose level of competence is not at par with that of the general students.