The announcement comes just a day after the JAB said the next IIT-JEE (Advanced) will be conducted online. JEE (Advanced) so far only had MCQs, where the correct answer had to be marked into optical mark reading sheets later evaluated by machines.

“The introduction of a computer-based test will give candidates access to keyboards. So, they will be able to provide correct answers through calculations, if necessary,” said a JAB source. “When the question pattern was multiple-choice, examinees often took refuge in the process of elimination to guess the answer. Now, such opportunities will be limited,” he added.

Since there is no order about framing questions in a particular way, question-setters will be at liberty to introduce a variety of questions that challenge examinees to think harder, and not just rely on techniques or memorization to crack the questions. “Concept-based questions will increase. The question pattern is set to change,” the official explained.

The decision to shift to a computerized testing system had been taken to eliminate printing errors and translation goof-ups that create.

We at Matrix predict that examination would have both MCQ type questions while it may also have short answer type questions. For the short answer type questions, answers would most likely be either ONE WORD ANSWER or in the form of numbers. This is because if the JAB wants to go with subjective questions like board examination, it would be very tough for the JAB to get more than 200,000+ students’ responses checked in a short span.