CET Cell to fade out, new Authority’s in

CET Cell to fade out, new Authority’s in
From Next Year,Agency To Conduct Entrance Exams For All Courses
The Times of India

Bangalore: The Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell, the most-thronged address for candidates seeking admission to professional colleges in the state, will be disbanded from next year. In its place, Karnataka Entrance Examination Authority (KEEA) will be set up.

Unlike the CET Cell, the proposed Authority will conduct entrance exams for all courses — polytechnic, MBA/MCA, nursing, and other postgraduate medical/dental courses conducted by RGUHS. Even other universities, agencies and government departments can outsource the entrance exams and seat-selection process to the Authority.

The existing CET Cell conducts seat-selection process only for undergraduate medical/dental/engineering courses and lateral entry scheme for diploma holders.

“CET Cell is an excellent example of how to conduct fair and transparent exams and counselling for professional colleges. Since the Cell has a proven record and all the necessary infrastructure, we want to make optimum use of the available resources,’’ higher education minister D H Shankaramurthy told The Times of India.

Once the Authority is in place, students seeking admission to engineering and medical courses need not appear for multiple entrance tests. “The Authority will conduct a common entrance test for all seats in professional colleges. Depending on the seat-sharing ratio between the private colleges and the state government, separate counselling will be held,’’ sources said.

For the first time, even the industry will be part of the Authority. KEEA will be headed by an IAS officer and will have representatives from the industry on the Board of Governors. The nomenclature of CET Cell special officer, who usually is the director of pre-university education, will also be changed.

The higher education department is planning to hold a colloquium by the second week of September to elicit views from private college associations, educationists, heads of various organisations, CEOs and the public. “Shortly, we will come out with an announcement seeking public opinion on how we can expand the scope of the Authority. To ensure that tests conducted by the Authority are accepted globally, we will be going in for ISO accreditation,’’ sources said.

Entrance for all
Authority will be a single agency to conduct entrance exams
Other universities, agencies, govt departments can outsource entrance exams to the Authority
Students seeking admission to engineering/medical courses need not appear for multiple entrance tests