CET toppers look outside despite fee waiver

 Even as the State government has announced that the admission fee for the top five rank holders will be reimbursed through the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) if they opt for seats through CET, the toppers are likely to pursue their degrees outside the State.

 While the toppers in the Medical stream are aspiring to get through to either AIIMS or JIPMER, the top rankers in Engineering are aiming for seats in IITs.

Medical

This year, the top three rank holders in Medical/Dental stream have also achieved top three ranks in Indian Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy (ISMH), BSc (Agriculture) and Bachelors in Veterinary Sciences (BVSc), in the same order.

Girija Agarwal, a student of Narayana PU College in the City, has secured first rank in Medical, BSc Agri and BVSc. Neha H V, a student of MES PU College, has bagged the second rank in all these three streams. Soorya V K of Expert PU College, Mangalore, has secured Rank 3.

Engineering

In Engineering, Srinidhi Prabhu of Narayana PU College, Bangalore, has secured the top rank, followed by Raunaq Bhirangi from Chethana PU College who has secured the second rank and Sumith from Sharada Independent PU College, Mangalore, who has stood third. 

The same students have secured the top three ranks, in the same order, in BTech (Agri) test as well. Further, while Soorya V K has topped BTech (Food), Srinidhi Prabhu has topped BPharma entrance. Girija Agarwal has secured Rank 2 in both these tests.

Architecture

 A student of National Hill View Public School, Samhitha Kottamasu, has secured the top rank in Architecture. Deepshika K from CMR National Public Schools has got the second rank and Udiksha Nagaraja Kapani from Jain PU College holds the third rank.Speaking to Deccan Herald, Girija Agarwal said she was hoping to get through to AIIMS or JIPMER. 

“I decided in Class 8 to pursue medicine. I am taking the AIIMS entrance test, JIPMER, and have appeared for AIPMT as well. St John's College in the city is another option that I have. I completed schooling in IGCSE and I believe that helped me build my foundation. Both my parents are alumni of IIT and IIM-B and they are my inspiration.” 

Srinidhi Prabhu, the topper in Engineering, said it was his discipline that helped him sail through. 

“My planning was good. I used to take tests every weekend. I have written JEE (Advanced) and I hope to secure a seat in IIT, Madras. My second option is one of the NITs and if I fail in these exams, I will pursue my course in RVCE.” Srinidhi is interested in Computer Science. He attributed his success to his mother, a scientist in DRDO, and father, an official in the CAG.

Sumith has written the IIT-JEE advanced exam. He wants to study in IIT in Mumbai, Delhi or Chennai. Later, he plans to pursue MS in some foreign university.  Soorya V K (Expert PU College) has also secured the third rank in ISMH. 

Pranav Kumar of the same college stood seventh in medical and fifth in ISMH. 

Stepping into a creative journey is Samhitha Kottamasu, who has topped Architecture. Though she took the NATA exam, she will enrol herself in the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad. Passionate about drawing, she took up a year’s coaching ahead of the exam. She hopes to specialise in product design in her further studies.