Only one CET for MBBS, BDS from 2014-15, says govt

Two panels to be formed to address admission problems and regulate fees

Karnataka would have only Common Entrance Test (CET) for admission to MBBS and BDS courses from 2014-15 onwards, Minister for Medical Education Sharan Prakash Patil informed the Legislative Council on Monday.

During a discussion on the delay in announcing the CET seat matrix this year, JD(S) leader M C Nanaiah expressed concern over the various entrance tests students have to write to study medicine.

“Students have to appear for various tests to pursue MBBS. Why can’t there be just one CET,” he asked. The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), the Comed-K and minority colleges conduct separate tests. “Barring the CET conducted by KEA, there is no transparency in other exams,” Nanaiah remarked.

In reply, the minister said that the government was committed to making all the exams transparent. He said that there would only one CET from next year onwards. Besides, the government is contemplating introducing appropriate legislation to regulate the fees charged by private colleges. 

JD(S) leader Basavaraj Horatti alleged that touts were forcing meritorious students to write the CET, secure the seats and surrender them later to the college managements.

He mentioned how 81 students from Bihar who were found having fake hall tickets. Patil replied that surrendered seats would be scrutinised after the second round. “If students who surrendered seats are found to be fake, criminal action will be taken against them,” he maintained.

The Higher Education Minister, R V Deshpande, said that investigation was being conducted in that regard and the findings would be forwarded to the home minister for further action. He also said that after the counselling was completed on July 30, the unfilled seats under the CET quota would not be given to college managements.

When BJP members Arun Shahpur and D V Sadananda Gowda alleged that private colleges were charging huge fees, the minister said there was little the government could about it as there was no proper legislation.

Deshpande said that the Karnataka Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admission and Fixation of Fee) Act, 2006, had been kept in abeyance so far but the government was thinking of implementing it now.

“We’ll appoint two committees — one to address admission-related problems and another to regulate fees,” Deshpande said.

Patil said that the PGCET would be only for Karnataka students. “Only the meritorious students from Karnataka who have done well in MBBS will get PG seats,” he said. The Cabinet would decide on introducing a legislation in that regard.

Deshpande assured the members that all seats in private engineering colleges would be filled up July 30. “The delay in seat matrix hasn’t affected admissions. We’ll complete the process by July 30 as per the Supreme Court directions,” he said.

When Sadananda Gowda mentioned that engineering colleges were collecting fees even from SC and ST students, Deshpande replied that a circular had been issued to the colleges warning them against the practice. “The government is yet to reimburse the colleges for Rs 40 crore as fees of SC/ST students. The amount will be released soon,” he said.