Humanities and Social Sciences Entrance Examination

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras has invited applications for the Humanities and Social Sciences Entrance Examination (HSEE) to be held from 10 am to 1 pm on May 6 for admission to its five-year integrated MA programmes in development studies and English studies.


There are 23 seats in each discipline. Students are allowed choose either of the disciplines after they get a wide exposure to humanities and social sciences during the first two years of the programme. They will be introduced to a variety of common subjects related to the two major disciplines offered from the third year.



Those who have passed the Plus Two examination in any subject combination with at least 60 per cent marks in aggregate (55 per cent for those belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes and the physically challenged), and those who are appearing in the qualifying examination in 2012, may apply. Applicants must be born on or after October 1, 1987 (October 1, 1982 for reserved sections).


Applications can be submitted online from 10 a.m. on December 20 to 5 p.m. on January 20 on http://hsee.iitm.ac.in. The examination fee is Rs.1,600 (Rs.800 for reserved sections and free of cost for women). The fee can be paid through Indian Bank challans which should be generated along with the application form. A printout of the application form with examination fee and attested copies of documents should be sent to the Chairman, HSEE-2012, JEE Office, IIT Madras, Chennai – 60 0036.


Part I of the test consists of objective-type, multiple-choice questions for two and a half hours administered through computer. Part II is essay writing for half an hour. Part I tests English and comprehension skills, analytical and quantitative ability, and general knowledge covering the areas of Indian economy, Indian society, contemporary world affairs, and environment and ecology. The syllabus is given on the website. The test will be held in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Coimbatore, Madurai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, New Delhi, and Kolkata. For details, e-mail: hsee@iitm.ac.in, ph: (044) 225 78220.