CM assures CET will work smoothly

Karnataka on Wednesday promised students and parents that it will evolve a mechanism to ensure smooth admission process for professional courses during the 2005-06 academic year.

"The problems students encountered last year will not be allowed to be repeated this year," chief minister N Dharam Singh told reporters here after chairing a high level meeting on the CET (Common Entrance Test) issue.

The meeting, attended by Karnataka higher education minister D Manjunath, primary and secondary education minister R Ramalinga Reddy and water resources minister Mallikarjun Kharge, discussed the steps to be initiated for trouble-free admissions, he said.

Singh said that the state will spell out its plan of action after hearing the verdict of the Supreme Court. It has already begun hearing a batch of petitions on fixing seat quota and fee structure to professional courses in private colleges.

Refusing to share details of the meeting, Singh said, "The matter is sub-judice and the apex court is likely to deliver its judgment by second week of March." Singh said government will also invite representatives of private college managements for talks.

Union minister for human resource development Arjun Singh has promised a central legislation, prescribing the guidelines for admissions and levy of fees, will be enacted, he said. Singh expressed optimism that the legislation will be passed in the coming Budget session.

Karnataka has notified that CET will be held during the first week of May, for selecting students for admissions to professional courses. Unlike last year, CET will be held only for Karnataka students and non-Karnataka students cannot appear for the exam.

The 'consortium of medical, engineering and dental colleges of Karnataka' has also announced plans to conduct a separate test for selection of students. The state government was yet to take a decision on reconstituting the admission regulation and fee fixation committees, which will be headed by sitting or retired judges for the coming academic year.

Under the Supreme Court order it is mandatory to appoint these committees.