Zero in entrance tests no hurdle for MBBS seats

Seventy-eight  SC/ST students scored “zero” in Eamcet (Entrance for agri, medicine and engineering tests) but all of them, 9 for engineering, 13 for medical and rest for agri streams, are still qualified for admissions into professional colleges for this academic year.

A total of  2,83,477  students had appeared for the engineering stream and 65,772 candidates for medical in the Eamcet 2012, the state-run entrance test.

As many as 2,07,473 students qualified in the engineering against 3,21,000 BE and BTech seats available in 671 colleges from among the 2, 83,477 applicants. However, 13,844 students who qualified in Eamcet engineering had failed in the Intermediate exams (10+2) and were disqualified for BE/BTech seats thus leaving a mismatch of 1,93,629 students for 3, 21,000 seats.

Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan’s words of caution to AP educational board not to promote students in Eamcet indiscriminately through grace marks has once again fallen on deaf ears.

The governor who is also Chancellor of universities had recently questioned and admonished the authorities in May for such promotions. Till 2008, students who scored zero in the Eamcet medical exam were allowed to take admissions in medical courses. However, following an uproar over the declining standards in medical education, the MCI tightened the norms from 2009, making it mandatory for students to secure 50 per cent marks both in Eamcet and in the 10+2 exams (Science) to be eligible for MBBS admission.

But, zero-scorers in Eamcet  engineering stream were allowed admissions till 2010 if they cleared 10+2 exams.

From 2011 onwards, the AICTE, too, tightened its norms by prescribing a cut-off per cent of 50 in the 10+2 exams for OCs and 45 per cent for reserved quota students.