Govt plans CET score for science admissions

Bengaluru The Karnataka government on Tuesday said that it is deliberating if the Common Entrance Test (CET) should be a base for admission into all science courses and not just for professional streams like engineering and medicine

Bengaluru The Karnataka government on Tuesday said that it is deliberating if the Common Entrance Test (CET) should be a base for admission into all science courses and not just for professional streams like engineering and medicine.

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“It has been in consideration about making marks obtained in CET as the common basis for all science based courses including B.Sc.(bachelor of science) and registration process for the CET-2021 will begin on June 15,” Dr CN Ashwath Narayan deputy chief minister of Karnataka said.

The statement comes at a time when the Karnataka government has cancelled exams for second year pre-university college (PUC) students on account of the Covid-19 pandemic that continues to remain a potent threat in the state.

The state government, however, has decided to hold two papers, which will include all six subjects, for Class 10 students in order to help them decide their stream of choice for further studies.

Narayan, who is also the minister for higher education, said that the minimum eligibility marks which was set as a criterion for writing CET has been relaxed for the current academic year and the department of higher education is mulling to consider CET marks as the common base for admission into all science-based courses for the academic year 2021-2022.

“Minimum eligibility marks of 45%(40% for SC/ST/OBC) to secure in PCM (physics/chemistry/mathematics) subjects in 2nd PUC examination which was considered as a criterion all these years to write CET will not be applicable for this year. For professional courses including agricultural science, pharmacy, veterinary, engineering, medical courses current academic year and only CET ranking will be taken into account,” he said.

The cancellation of exams has added to the prevailing confusion of grading of children without conducting proper evaluation. According to the primary and secondary education department minister, S Suresh Kumar, the grades obtained by the student in their first year PUC will be used to grade them for their second year PUC.

Narayan said that the suggestion given by Kumar to use CET ranking as a parameter for admission into professional courses has been considered.

With competitive cut off percentages in all leading colleges, it remains to be seen how the admission process will be taken forward by these institutions.

“Ranks for admission to engineering courses will be awarded on the basis of the marks obtained in PCM subjects of the CET examination only. The earlier method of considering the PCM marks obtained in the annual exams and CET in equal proportions will not be applicable for this year, he pointed out.

“This year the number of students who pass out may increase by 30% and this would result in about 2,00,000 more students seeking admission for degree courses. Accordingly, measures will be taken to accommodate these increased numbers of students in government and private colleges,” Narayana added.

“CET-2020 will be held on August 28, 29, and 30th as scheduled earlier; CET for maths & biology will be held on 28 & physics & chemistry on 29th of August and each paper will carry for 60 marks,” he added. The language test for students from other states and border regions will be held on August 30.