Karnataka engineering counselling put off to July 7

Now, wait for 10 more days to pick your engineering seats in Karnataka.

As the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has delayed according sanctions to engineering colleges in the state, the government has decided to postpone the Common Entrance Test (CET) counselling for engineering courses till July 7.

Earlier, the counselling was scheduled to begin on June 27. State higher education minister VS Acharya made a formal announcement on the postponement on Thursday.

“We are yet to receive approvals for engineering seats from the AICTE. So, we decided to alter the schedule.”

On the revised schedule, Acharya said: “The counselling and seat selection process for admission to engineering courses will begin from July 7 in the state. AICTE has promised that it will release the seat matrix by June 28.”

As on Wednesday, only 140 of the 189 engineering colleges in the state had received AICTE sanctions. AICTE is expected to approve these 40 engineering colleges on June 28.

Last year too, the government had to postpone the CET engineering counselling twice for the same reason. “There may not be anymore changes and the counselling will happen as per this schedule,” Acharya assured. 
To ensure that, the minister insisted that the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) staff work even on Saturdays and Sundays.

Acharya had made a trip to Delhi to discuss the issue with AICTE officials. After returning from Delhi, Acharya held a meeting with the department officials on Wednesday and decided to reschedule the counselling.

Ayurveda, Unani 
AICTE approval for Ayurveda, Unani and Homeopathy courses are too pending. Sources said the State Ayush director is still in Delhi and trying to get the matrix as early as possible. Counselling for these courses has been postponed and the dates are yet to be fixed.

“Because of apex bodies like the Medical Council of India and AICTE all other states are too facing the same problem. Even for medical courses, approval for seats in five college is pending,” Acharya said, adding that these councils need to pull up their socks.

All the 11 medical quota seats that were offered were taken up on the fourth day of the Common Entrance Test (CET) counselling and seat selection sessions for admission to under-graduate medical courses in the state.

Though the counselling was for candidates who have secured rankings from 6,001 to 9,200, the number of candidates who turned up was minimal. As all the medical seats were allotted, students opted for dental seats. The opening status of dental seats for Thursday was 318 and of them, 197 were chosen. As many as 121 seals are left for Friday, the last day of the first round of general counselling for medical and dental seat selection.

On Friday, candidates who have secured rankings from 9,201 to the last rank will be eligible to choose seats.

KEA officials hope that all dental seats would be filled on Friday, as AICTE approval for the 700-odd Ayurveda, Unani and Homeopathy courses is still pending. "Candidates may surrender their dental seats in the second round of counselling, if the additional medical seats are approved. To be on the safer side, they are taking dental seats now," said a KEA official.

This year, the total number of dental seats on the offer for CET students is 755 and of them, 634 stand taken as of Thursday. But 798 dental seats were offered last year, and of them, only a paltry 211 were taken up.