CET: Only 10K of 60K BE aspirants show up

There has been a pathetic response to admissions to professional courses for the academic year 2019-20 with just 10,000 students reporting to engineering colleges against the more than 50,000 seats that were listed in the first round of seat allotment.

This suggests that many are anxiously waiting to opt for medical or other lucrative courses in the subsequent admission rounds.

Sources in the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) revealed to DH that July 12 was the last date for allotment of undergraduate engineering seats and admissions to courses. However, according to data made available by KEA officials, till date, only 10,000 students have reported to the colleges for admission.

Though there are two more rounds of seat allotment pending, KEA officials don’t expect any change. “During the CET 2018, over 23,000 engineering seats had remained vacant. Now, the trend unfolding in the first round itself and will continue in the subsequent rounds as well,” said a senior official of KEA.

The total number of seats available under the government quota at private engineering colleges and at government engineering colleges is 59,000 and when KEA began allotment for the first round, all the seats were filled. However, the feedback by the colleges revealed that only 10,000 candidates have reported to their colleges.

Commenting on the trend, a KEA official said, “A majority of students wait for better options (college or stream) in the second and third rounds. A few who set their eyes on medical and other lucrative courses, choose engineering as a back-up and get admissions. Once they get their desired course, they may surrender the seat.” However, by then the students with poorer ranks would have given up the dream of joining an engineering college and get admitted to graduation in local colleges. “They will not change their mind since colleges don’t refund their fees and they will not be able to afford a fresh admission in another part of the state,” the official opined.

This year, over 1,40,957 candidates were eligible for engineering seats through CET 2019 and the total number seats available under government quota at private engineering colleges and at government engineering colleges is 59,000 in about 200 colleges.

Seats at some of the top colleges have already been taken by top rank holders leaving no chance for other students during second and third rounds. “Candidates who have secured the top 5,000 ranks will not surrender their seats as a majority of them get into top engineering colleges,” said an official of KEA.