JOIN USDeemed varsities may have to part with seats for CET pool
He was speaking at the opening of CET counselling 2009, which was held at three centres simultaneously, including Bangalore, for the first time.
Mr Gowda said, “There are a number of deemed universities and they conduct their own entrance tests. We intend to get a percentage of their seats under CET, which would result in a 25 per cent increase in the total number of seats available under medical stream.”
On the opening day, students with ranks 1 to 1900 under medical stream were called for counselling at Bangalore, Hubli and Gulbarga. The first seat of CET 2009 was taken by the topper in medical stream, Anish P Bhat, who opted for Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore. At Hubli and Gulbarga centres, the first seat went to 8th rank holder Shadab Maldar (who chose a seat in Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubli) and 10th rank holder Akshita Saradgi respectively.
Minister for Higher Education, Aravind Limbavali reiterated the state government’s intention to have a common CET from 2010. He said “The Government is negotiating with COMED-K (consortium of private colleges), which is insisting on having five members on the board of the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) that conducts CET.” The government has so far consented to only three COMED-K members on the KEA board.
On the AICTE delaying approval of engineering intake, which could impact the seat matrix, Limbavali admitted this was an annual problem faced by the KEA. “We are in talks with the Central government regarding the reduction in government seats for engineering and will get the remaining seats approved before the counselling for engineering begins.”
Endorsing the government move to make deemed universities participate in CET, Bangalore North MP D B Chandre Gowda urged students and parents not to give up medical seats in favour of engineering. “I have noticed a disturbing trend where even students who get top ranks in medical, opt for engineering because it is more lucrative.” Gowda said, adding that more students must become doctors and serve the poor.
The state government felicitated the top three rank holders of CET 2009 in both Engineering and Medical streams. Besides presenting them medals, the government announced a cash reward of Rs 7,500 each.
Counselling in Hubli, Gulbarga
Hubli: CET counselling began at the BVB College of Engineering & Technology premises here on Thursday.
The decentralised counselling was inaugurated simultaneously in Hubli, Gulbarga and Bangalore. Legislative Council Chairman Veeranna Mattikatti inaugurated the counselling in Hubli.
He felt that counselling in Hubli and Gulbarga would help students of North Karnataka and Hyderabad Karnataka regions. Counselling for selection of medical seats was divided into four sessions,and more than 260 students took part.
Counselling in Gulbarga began at PDA Engineering College and was inaugurated by Dr D M Nanjundappa Committee Report Implementation Committee Chairman Sashil Namoshi.
Parents and students were relieved that they did not have to travel to Bangalore for counselling.
Mangalore centre from 2010
Minister Aravind Limbavali said the government will have one more counselling centre at Mangalore for CET 2010. CET authorities said, while Mangalore centre was certain, a fifth counselling centre at Bagalkot was also a distinct possibility.
Meanwhile, members of Students’ Federation of India (SFI) protested outside the KEA against the current CET seat sharing system. SFI state president B Rajashekharamurthy said, “The current 50-50 seat sharing method fully favoured the private college managements. We are demanding at least a 75-25 seat sharing matrix with government getting the bigger share of seats.”
Rajashekharamurthy also alleged that the banks were charging their own interest rates for students due to the government’s failure to send an intimation letter about reduced interest rates. The members comprising PUC science students and engineering aspirants, protested against the existing fee structure for some of the reserved categories.