JOIN USStrict PGET rules scupper students' hopes
Stringent security measures for the medical and dental post graduation entrance test (PGET), conducted by the Comed-K, led to an adverse problem for a few aspirants of the post graduate courses.
About 60 candidates, who failed to produce the identity proofs mentioned in the Comed-K list, were not allowed to write the examination. This resulted in a heated argument between the students and examiners. Parents who accompanied their children tried to convince the examiners to allow them to appear for the test, but to no avail.
A candidate, who was not allowed to write her examination at the M S Ramaiah Institute, said she had all the ID proofs with her, but they were photocopies. She rushed to a hotel nearby where she was staying and brought her original IDs, but she was not allowed into the examination hall because she was half an hour late.
At least 15 students could not appear for the examination at the Ramaiah Institute. Parents said the students should have been allowed on ‘humanitarian’ grounds.
Ajay Shukla, a parent, said he was disappointed at the way the officials dismissed the students. “I appreciate the stringent measures. However, they executed it mechanically without applying their mind. When the student had the original admit card with the candidate’s photo on it and also a photocopy of the photo ID proof, the examiners could have compared the photos with the person standing before them and allowed them to write the exam. They cannot spoil the career of students,” he remarked.
Another student, who took the examination, felt the same. Citing the example of the All India entrance exam, where a similar procedure is followed, she said: “If a candidate has missed one of the documents, but produces all other vital documents like the admit card, they are allowed to write the exam on the condition that they provide the ID proof within three days of the exam.”
The examiners could have adopted this procedure by taking a written statement from the students that they would provide ID proofs within the stipulated time, or their papers would not be qualified for evaluation, said others. Some students have decided to move the High Court.
Comed-K defends
Comed-K chief executive Srikanth A S said: “Elections and examinations have to be merciless.”Among the reasons some students gave was losing documents on the way. “If they lose their documents before an examination that is so crucial for their career, what is the guarantee they wouldn’t be negligent at work and forget scissors inside patients’ bodies while operating on them,” he asked.
The Comed-K strongly defended its decision to bar about 100 students from writing the PGET. “There should not be any element of discretion in the matter,” Dr S Kumar, Executive Secretary, the Comed-K, said.
The students, who were 0.42 per cent of the total number of candidates, were not allowed to appear for the test as they failed to bring any of the seven legally accepted photo ID proofs — PAN card, driving licence, running savings bank account passbook, service ID card, voter ID card, and photo ID issued by the institution last attended, according to Dr Kumar.
He said there should not be any room for “melodrama and emotions” when asked about barring a student who had brought the original ID proof, albeit after half an hour. “The candidates are graduates and are fully aware of their responsibilities,” he said.
Students who appeared for the examination said it was a “breeze”. “It was easy. Nearly 20 per cent of the questions were repeated from the 2009 paper,” said Sandeep, a student of Maruti Dental College in the City.
Another student, Debupriya from Kolkata, said the test was a cakewalk.
“I worked very hard for this exam,” she said.
Of the 18,418 eligible candidates, 16,593 appeared for the test. The medical courses have recorded a 91 per cent attendance, while 93 per cent wrote the exam for the dental course. Of the 18,418 who had applied, 12,909 candidates are from other states and 3,246 from Karnataka.
Answer key
Answer key of the entrance test was published within three hours, as promised by the Comed-K. Clarifications/objections to the answer key should reach the Comed-K office by February 16 in the desired format along with a DD (Rs 500 per question) favouring the Comed-K and payable at Bangalore.