The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA), the new avatar of the Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell is all set to discharge its  duties, in a bigger capacity.

The KEA, now an authority registered under the Cooperatives Societies Act, has been approached by several clients for conducting entrance tests for recruitment processes.

The fisheries department has sought the authority to conduct an entrance test and prepare the merit list as well, for filling up 100 odd personnel in the department, official sources told the Deccan Herald. The KEA will use its experience of conducting the CET in discharging this exercise.

From next year, it will also be the official agency for conducting CET-2008 and the seat selection process for government quota seats in under-graduate medical, dental, engineering courses and lateral entry scheme for diploma holders. The 12-year old CET Cell has been scrapped.

Outsource
Uro-nephrology unit of the health department has also outsourced the task of conducting an entrance test for recruitment of 30 nurses to the KEA.

The BBMP has also approached it to prepare the merit list for recruitment of tax collectors.

However, there is also a thinking of allowing the private companies to utilise KEA’s services, for tasks like conducting entrance tests for campus recruitment and for evaluation of objective-type examinations held by various universities, the sources added.

Moreover, the authority will function as an independent society with no grants from the State government. Part of the revenue generated by the authority through outsourcing will be channelised towards students’ welfare.

Funds
The setting up of two development funds is already on the cards, one is to help the new government medical and engineering colleges buy library books and another is to sponsor meritorious and economically weak students
KEA is managed by a 16-member governing council and has executive, administrative, financial and academic committees.

key details
*Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) gets going. 
* KEA will conduct CET-2008.
* KEA to conduct entrance tests for recruiting people for fisheries, health department and BBMP.
*More entrance tests to be entrusted to KEA from next year.