Nearly 7K among 1.94 lakh Students Registered in State for Karnataka Common Entrance Test (KCET) Take Tests in Dakshina Kannada and Mangaluru, and this test is conducted by Karnataka Examination Authority in 499 Examination centres located in 127 places in the State
Mangaluru: Karnataka Common Entrance Test, KCET 2020 has not been cancelled or postponed. Clearing the way, Karnataka High Court has ruled in favour of conducting the common entrance test, as scheduled on 30 July and 31 July. Denying the interim request to the petitions filed to cancel or postpone the examination, Karnataka High Court has asked the state to ensure that no student who wishes to appear for the examination should be stopped. State has also been advised to share the SOPs for the examination on the official website.
Karnataka High Court had addressed three petitions filed against Karnataka CET. The state government has urged the Court to allow it to go ahead with the exams in the state. In the hearing that went on for the better half of the day, the Karnataka HC carefully went through the arguments presented by each side. In the end, the court noted that the examination cannot be stalled. In the order, the court noted, ‘Examination cannot be stalled. All students who come to give examination should be allowed to write CET. The petitioners reasoned that the present cases of coronavirus and increasing containment zones would create hurdles for the students. The questions were put to the government which assured the court that it was ready with the necessary transport for the students.
During the hearing, all the parties presented their points of view. In the end, however, the state noted that cancelling or postponing the examination at this stage would be counter-productive as the students are ready for the examination. Court conceded and has allowed the examination to go ahead as planned. And therefore, the CET, which helps the students to get into medical or engineering institutions, was held today, 30 July in various centres, and Team Mangalorean was at St Aloysius PUC, Mangaluru, where nearly 300 plus took their First test in Biology subject, which started at 10.30 am and ending at 11.50 am. Prior to taking the test, students were seen browsing through their books, as last minute preparations.
As many as 1,94,356 students will be appearing for the KCET 2020. Even though recently the National Students Union of India, NSUI has filed a petition urging the state government to postpone the KCET exam 2020, but they didn’t succeed in their efforts. NSUI in its twitter page had said, “NSUI Karnataka has filed a PIL in the respected High Court of Karnataka requesting to intervene and postpone KCET exams which is scheduled to conduct on July 30 and July 31”. Anyways, now the test is being conducted by Karnataka Examination Authority in 499 examination centres located in 127 centres all over Karnataka.
The biology test was held this morning (30 July) between 10.30 am and 11.50 am, in the afternoon between 2.30 pm and 3.50 pm, Math test will be held. On 31 July, Physics exam will be held between10.30 & 11.50 am, and in the afternoon, chemistry exam will be held between 2.30 pm and 3.50 pm. Sources reveal that, on 1 August, a compulsory Kannada language exam for students from the border areas and other states will be held between 11.30 am and 12.30 pm. And good news for these students is that they don’t have to visit Bengaluru to appear for the exam, instead they can appear for the examination at Mangaluru, Bidar, Ballari, Belagavi, and Bengaluru, whichever is located near the state’s border.
The state government had said that the exams would be conducted following strict standard operating procedures including thermal screening, wearing of masks and maintenance of physical distance strictly followed. The government also said that the exam centres will be sanitised two days prior to the exam- and St Aloysius PUC, Mangaluru among other exam centres, has followed the protocol. COVID positive students appearing for the tests are provided with separate rooms. It is noted that students from foreign countries or outside the states who are appearing for the CET as well as the parents accompanying them have been given four days exemption from quarantine conditions. Buses were arranged for the students to reach to their exam centres, and will also be dropped back. As for the students who are travelling from the containment zones, the KCET Hall Tickets 2020 would also work as a pass and the students would be permitted to leave the zone for the examination.
