Private universities in Karnataka have recently agreed to the State government’s proposal to fill 40% of private quota seats in professional courses, including engineering, through a uniform entrance test. This initiative aims to simplify the admission process for students and reduce the burden of multiple entrance exams.

Until now, students had to appear for separate entrance exams conducted by individual private universities to secure admission to engineering and other professional courses. However, with this new move, students will now only need to focus on one or two major entrance exams recognized by all participating universities, making the process more streamlined and efficient.

Key Takeaways:

• Uniform Entrance Test: Starting from the academic year 2025-26, 40% of private quota seats in engineering and other professional courses in Karnataka will be filled through a uniform entrance test.
• Accepted Exams: Private universities will accept scores from three major entrance exams – the Karnataka CET (Common Entrance Test), JEE (Joint Entrance Examination), and COMEDK (Karnataka Unaided Private Engineering Colleges Association exam).
• MoU Signed: An MoU between the State government and private universities ensures that no private university will conduct a separate entrance exam for professional courses.
• Benefit for Students: This move reduces the burden on students, who previously had to appear for multiple entrance exams. Now, they only need to focus on one or two exams accepted by all participating universities.
• PES University’s Approach: PES University will admit students based on their CET or JEE ranks. Students can update their ranks post-results and complete the admission process accordingly.
• UVCE Admission Update: This year, University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE) will fill its seats using CET rankings instead of JEE rankings due to administrative reasons.
• Future Admissions Simplified: From 2025 onwards, private universities in Karnataka will follow a streamlined process to admit students, making admissions more efficient and transparent.
• Reduced Financial and Mental Burden: Students will no longer need to pay for and prepare for multiple entrance exams, leading to both financial and mental relief.

Background of the Agreement

There are 32 private universities in Karnataka, and 17 of them offer professional courses. Each university has previously conducted its own entrance test to fill the private quota seats. This resulted in students facing the challenge of appearing for multiple exams, adding to their financial burden.

In light of this, the State government, led by Higher Education Minister M.C. Sudhakar, held a meeting with the private universities to discuss a uniform solution. During the meeting, the Minister suggested that universities fill their seats through an official agency or form a consortium to conduct a common entrance test. Eventually, the private universities agreed to accept ranks from well-established exams like CET, JEE, and COMEDK, eliminating the need for separate university-specific tests.

A Unified Approach to Admissions

The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) marks a significant step in making the admission process more student-friendly. This agreement ensures that students will only need to appear for one of the recognized entrance exams – CET, JEE, or COMEDK – and their scores will be accepted by all private universities for admission to professional courses, including engineering.

This move has been widely appreciated for its potential to alleviate the strain on students. Dr. Sudhakar, the Higher Education Minister, commented, “It is a good development that all the private universities in the State have decided to fill the seats on the basis of JEE, COMEDK, or CET ranks without conducting a separate examination. No private university will conduct a separate examination for professional courses next year.” (Source: The Hindu)

Impact on Specific Universities

PES University in Bengaluru, one of the well-known private institutions, has announced that it will accept students based on their CET or JEE ranks. Dr. D. Jawahar, Pro-Chancellor of PES University, explained, “Students who want to apply to our institutions should do so with their ranks in CET and JEE. Based on the applicant’s ranking, we will allot the seats.” PES University has already opened the online application process, and students can update their ranks once the CET and JEE (Advanced) results are announced.

Similarly, University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE), an autonomous institution modeled after the IITs, had previously planned to fill 25% of its seats using JEE rankings. However, due to administrative challenges, UVCE will fill its seats based on CET rankings for this academic year.

Conclusion

The move to conduct a uniform entrance test for private quota seats is a welcome step that will reduce the pressure on students while ensuring a transparent and simplified admission process. The MoU between the government and private universities sets the stage for a more efficient admission process starting from the 2025-26 academic year.

By adopting CET, JEE, or COMEDK ranks, Karnataka’s private universities are not only helping students save time and money but also ensuring that students can apply to multiple institutions without the hassle of separate exams. This shift marks a significant improvement in the higher education admission landscape of the state, benefiting students and universities alike.

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