KEA fails to announce results

BANGALORE: The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) which had taken the responsibility to conduct Post Graduation Common Entrance Test (PGCET), is yet to announce the results of MTech and MBA courses. KEA conducted the entrance examination for the first time.State government had amended the rules of the Karnataka Education Institutions (Prohibition of Capitation Fee) Act, 1984, to enable the KEA to hold the common entrance test.This year, more than 25,000 candidates had taken the entrance test at 50 centres across the state on August 6.An official from KEA said, “VTU had conducted the entrance test on July 18.There is a delay in the announcement of the results because the entrance test was conducted late.” SP Kulkarni, special officer, KEA, said that this is for the first time KEA is conducting PGCET and the work burden is causing the delay.“Apart from this, we also conduct entrance exams and counselling for engineering and medical courses. This is an additional burden and therefore there is a delay,” he said.Federation of Engineering College Teachers’ Associations of Karnataka president, S Vidyashankar, said that last year results were announced by the first week of August and classes started from September 9.“It is already the first week of September. KEA is yet to announce results.In the second phase, after announcing results, they have to conduct counselling.This process will delay in commencement of classes.”Another professor from an engineering college, on the condition of anonymity, said that students of professional courses like MTech, ME and MBA are under constant pressure due to the semester scheme.“Duration of the courses bothers students even before the course commences. If KEA delays the announcement, it will be difficult for us to complete the syllabus,” he said.He further suggested that PGCET should have been retained with VTU as KEA is already conducting entrance exams and counselling for engineering and medical courses and this is an extra work for the board.