Karnataka mulls common entrance test for engineering courses in private varsities

Private colleges currently hold three entrance tests for engineering courses in the private quota

The state government is mulling a common/single entrance test for admission to various engineering courses at private universities across Karnataka.

Based on the recommendations of the Admission Overseeing Committee (for professional courses), the state higher education department has convened a meeting with the chancellors of all private universities on January 8 to deliberate on the issue.

The committee headed by retired high court judge Justice B Manohar had recently recommended a single entrance test for admission to engineering courses in the state for institutions falling under the private category. However, the department has asked the universities concerned to submit their opinion to the committee in writing.

The notice issued by the higher education department to private universities, a copy of which was accessed by DH, read, "The meeting is to discuss a single entrance test for management quota seats available at all private universities from 2021-22 academic year. The chancellors of private universities are asked to present the necessary details."

Currently, other than the Common Entrance Test (CET) to fill up seats under government quota and seats in government engineering colleges, three other entrance tests are being held by private college managements every year for seats under the private quota.

The Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka (COMED-K), Karnataka Religious and Linguistic Minority Professional Colleges Association (KRLMPCA) and Association of Minority Professional Colleges in Karnataka (AMPCK) and private universities conduct their own entrance tests.

Panel recommendations

In its recommendations dated February 3, 2020, Admission Overseeing Committee chairperson Justice B Manohar said, “It has come to the notice of this committee that apart from the state government, three other associations are conducting entrance tests separately for selection of students for the study of BE course in Karnataka.”