The Government of Karnataka has recently announced that scores in Karnataka Common Entrance Test (KCET) will be the only criteria for admissions in undergraduate professional courses offered by state universities. The state has waived-off the policy for admissions on the basis of Class 12 or II PUC results.
Now the ranks secured by students according to their KCET scores will decide the allotment of seats in professional colleges. The students will have to compulsorily qualify in the entrance test to get admission into any of the medical, engineering, technology, farm science, pharmacy or neuropathy courses.
This decision has been made since the Class 12 Boards or second-year pre-university exams are cancelled due to the Second Wave of COVID-19 pandemic. The results of Class 12 students will be made in the basis of internal assessments in which scores will be comparatively higher and thus can’t be used as a fair parameter.
However, the government has relaxed eligibility criteria for appearing in KCET in the view of current pandemic situations. The criteria of minimum marks for appearing in CET has been removed. Earlier, the students has to secure atleast 45 percent score in II PUC exams for being eligible in CET.
According to the Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwathnarayan, the earlier method of considering cumulative scores from Annual exam marks and KCET marks in equal proportions will not be applicable this year. The The Department of Higher Education will consider CET scores as a common base for admissions in 2021-22.
The Deputy CM also said that registration process for KCET 2021 will begin for June 15. The entrance exam will be held on August 28, 29 and 30 as per schedule earlier released. The exam has been already postponed once and the government has no plans to again defer it.
The government is also considering to hold a common entrance exam for students seeking admissions in Non-technical courses and conventional courses. However, more relaxation could be made in this entrance exam depending on the nature of course.